A Childhood Dream Come True
by chibichump
Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there’s only one way, in Ikuto’s mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!
1. Prologue: The Unexpected Happens

Okay, so this is my first post though I've written many stories. Lol This is a IkutoXOC story, I hope you enjoy. Be wary, this is only the Prologue, the other chapters will be longer....hopefully. lol ^-^;

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara, not even in my dreams. T-T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

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"I already have a girlfriend."

At those words, the group of girls surrounding poor Ikuto Tsukiyomi groan their disappointment, frowns on each of their faces. Another girl not far off from the group, sighs in disappointment, sorrow marring her features.

_'A girlfriend..? Now he'll never look my way...'_

Her lilac bangs hide her face as usual as she begins to look through her bag.

"Ikuto-sempai, who is it? How do we know you're not lying and just saying this to get us away?"

Ikuto sighs a bit, his blue hair swaying in the stray breeze passing by.

"I don't know if I should tell. I never told anyone before because I was afraid she'd get teased or worse..."

_'Crap. How do I get myself out of this one?'_

A lot of the girls look down or at each other.

"We promise we won't do anything. We wouldn't want to upset you."

Ikuto pretends to think it over while his eyes shift around for a temporary way out. Suddenly, his eyes spot a young girl not far off, her hands fumbling through her bag, her hair hiding her face.

_'She doesn't seem fan girlish.'_

"Alright..."

He begins to push his way through the fangirls, the girls moving to create a path, his eyes obviously locked on someone. The girl finally manages to pull her sketchbook out, her eyes wandering up to notice her childhood crush walking her way, straight towards her.

_'Oh my god! Ikuto-sempai is walking towards me!!'_

She freezes in place, her face already gaining a pink hue. She watches as Ikuto stops in front of her, a sexy smirk on his lips.

"Do you mind if I tell them?"

The girl only tilts her head in confusion before Ikuto suddenly pulls her into his arms, her head barely passing his shoulders. Her whole face goes a darker shade.

"Do you mind...if I tell them about us?"

The young girl's eyes widen at his words, her face buried in his chest, her shock hidden from the others.

"U-um...Ikuto-sempai..."

Ikuto pulls away to look softly at her face, since her face is mainly hidden by her hair.

"It's alright....they know, so you can call me Ikuto-kun like you usually do."

The girl's cheeks turn reed, her eyes noticing the group watching them, her mind starting to register what he's talking about.

"I-Ikuto-kun...."

Ikuto's smile widens, only causing her heart to race more.

"Awww....she's shy. Give her a kiss Ikuto-sempai~!"

Both turn at the random outburst as all the girls start echoing their enthusiasm to the idea. Ikuto only smirks as he leans down to whisper in the girl's ear.

"Do you mind..?"

The girl lowers her head shyly a bit, her cheeks red in anticipation.

"...Hotaru...."

Ikuto's smirk widens as his eyes soften, the amethyst color barely catching her emerald ones.

"Hotaru....alright..."

Hotaru continues to look down before Ikuto gently places a finger under her chin, raising her head as his lips place themselves over her own. Hotaru sighs into the kiss, allowing Ikuto to lead as the girls 'Awe' in unison before beginning to dissipate gradually. When the last one disappears behind the school doors, Ikuto pulls away.

"Good, they're gone."

He looks down to notice Hotaru's face a deep red, her fingers gently touching her lips. Ikuto smirks teasingly, tilting his head to get a better look.

"Was that your first kiss?"

Hotaru jumps a bit at his comment, looking up, only to look down quickly as her face darkens once more. Ikuto chuckles a bit before making her face him, still not really seeing her face clearly.

"Well...I hope you get used to it. Starting today, you're going to play the role of my girlfriend."

Hotaru jumps a bit as the bell rings on cue, both looking toward the school.

"Well, don't want to be late."

He quickly places a peck on her forehead before beginning to walk away.

"I'll see you later."

Hotaru watches his back until he disappears inside the school before falling to her butt in shock, her hands touching her red, heated face, her glasses crooked a bit from the fall.

_'What....What just happened?!'_

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Thank you for reading!! Let me know what you think and if I should continue this. Review if you deem me worthy!! ^-^


	2. So let it begin

**Authors Note: Sorry!!! I have an excuse! You see….one of our managers got caught stealing from our store, so he got fired, and since I was next in line, I got promoted and with him gone and our store manager going to Vegas for conference, both of their hours got divided among me and my other manager, so yeah…I've been working everyday and closing. I even work today but managed to sneak onto my cousin's comp for a bit and post. So, Yay!!**

_Summary:__ Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Shugo Chara! I only own Hotaru here. *pats Hotaru's head.*_

_**Dedication: I love athrun. You reviewed. It made me cry tears of joy.**_

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**Chapter 2: So let it begin…**

"Hotaru-san!"

Hotaru turns around only to notice three girls running up to her in the hallway, all of whom she's never seen before. Her bangs keep a good portion of the right side of her face hidden, her smile small.

"Y-yes?"

They all smile, no ill intent induced. She can only smile sweetly back as they begin to surround her.

"When did you start going out?"

"How was your first kiss?"

"What's your favorite thing about Ikuto-san?"

Hotaru becomes flustered with all of the questions directed towards her, her head trying to keep up.

"U-um…well…."

Being the writer that she is, Hotaru decides to spin a story from her first meeting with Ikuto.

"…actually, I was the first to fall for Ikuto. We were kids and…"

_(Flashback)_

_A Younger version of Hotaru is running around a playground by herself, only able to enjoy herself once all the other children left. She slides down the slide, giggles escaping her lips, the sun setting a bit in the distance, when a beautiful faint sound reaches her ears. She gets up from the bottom of the slide and begins to search for the beautiful noise. It only gets louder as she gets closer, her mind registering the instrument._

'_That's a violin…'_

_She finally reaches a tall brush, only to peer through a few leaves and spot 3 kids, one obviously older than the other two. A blush reaches her young cheeks at the young boy, his talent and smile captivating her. She watches from afar when the notes become familiar._

'_I…I know this song…'_

_The young Hotaru turns away as she begins to hum, her eyes closed to concentrate on the song. At first it begins with a simple hum only to turn into singing. She doesn't notice as her voice gets louder, her smile showing contempt in singing along. As the song finishes, she hears the clapping of small hands, her eyes opening quickly to notice the younger kids around her, their claps directed towards her. A blush takes to her cheeks, her lilac pigtails swaying in the wind._

"_Oh miss, that was so pwetty!"_

_The other nods their head vigorously in agreement. She blushes a deeper shade before turning to Ikuto, a soft smile on his face._

"_Yes, your voice is very beautiful."_

_The hue conquers her whole face before a dazzling smile overcomes it. The young Ikuto is thrown back a bit, a small blush now adorning his own face. The younger boy grabs Hotaru's hand, pulling her closer to Ikuto._

"_Would you sing swing us another swong?"_

_The smaller girl grabs her other hand._

"_Pwease?"_

_Hotaru looks at each of their faces before turning to Ikuto once more._

"_U-um….I…"_

_The two young kids turn to him as well, pleading eyes directed at him._

"_Twell her Ikuto!"_

_Ikuto looks at them before raising his violin, the bow raised above it's strings as if waiting._

"_Would you please?"_

_Hotaru blushes a bit before smiling._

"_Sure…"_

_(End Flashback)_

All four of them are now sitting at a lunch table, the group having increased over time.

"After a few songs, they had to go. I never gave them my name but when I came across him again in school last year, we remembered each other right away and well…"

All of the girls sigh in unison.

"That was-"

"-so romantic!"

"-beautiful!"

"-true love!"

Hotaru smiles embarrassingly, a bit shy at her lie and their responses. Yeah, that's how they had met and _**she**_remembered _**him**_ when they started going to the same school, but she didn't have the nerve to ask if he remembered her. After all, she never gave him her name that day many years ago and they had left so suddenly that she never got the chance. She stands up, smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry, but I must go, I-"

"You have lunch with Ikuto-sempai, right?"

Hotaru only smiles, as another girl makes a comment.

"You're so lucky to have him."

A pained expression overcomes Hotaru's face at that point, only for her to quickly replace it with a smile once more.

"Yeah…"

She walks outside to eat her lunch, her head hanging low to hide her sad expression and the tears wanting to spill.

"Hey, there you are."

The voice catches her off guard, her head raising suddenly. As their eyes meet, amethyst clashing with emerald, a blush takes to her cheeks.

"I-Ikuto-sempai!"

Ikuto suddenly pulls her close, whispering in her ear.

"I told you to use '-kun'."

Hotaru blushes deeply.

"S-sorry…Ikuto…kun."

Ikuto pulls away, obviously pleased with the name.

"Good…Hotaru-chan."

At the suffix added to her name, and from Ikuto of all people, Hotaru's whole body turns red.

"T-t-thank you."

Ikuto softly raises a hand to touch her cheek, brushing aside her bangs a bit.

"You're a shy one, aren't you?"

She looks down, embarrassed at her face being slightly revealed, not realizing that Ikuto didn't even get a good look. Ikuto just smirks.

"It's alright. Makes you cute a bit."  
He pulls away, Hotaru's thoughts and heart racing a mile a minute.

'_He….he…just called me cute! Well, he said a bit, but still…'_

She's thrown out of her inner monologue when a bigger hand grabs her own, it's force leading her through the courtyard.

"Come on. I know a good place to eat."

Hotaru only allows herself to be dragged along, a huge smile on her face.

"So, where were you anyway? I've been looking for you outside since a few people I asked said you eat out here."

Hotaru lifts her head, looking up to notice his eyes glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"W-well…some girls had asked me how we got together, so I told them that we met as kids, met again last year and hadn't forgotten each other."

Ikuto sticks his tongue out a bit.

"How….novelish."

Hotaru looks down, a bit of disappointment in her eyes.

"Well…I write romantic things like that so…it was all I could think of."

'_I don't want to tell him the truth. He might find me weird that I still remember that day…'_

Ikuto turns to her fully.

"You write?"

Hotaru only looks at her feet.

"Yes…I do…I-I've won several awards….and had some poems published…"

Ikuto is shocked before a soft smile graces his lips.

"Wow, I didn't know that. That's pretty amazing."

Hotaru notices his smile only to smile back, his happiness towards her hobby rewarding.

"Thank you."

Ikuto finally pulls her to sit next to him on a stone bench placed under a tree near the back fence. Hotaru looks around a bit before pulling her kerchief covered bento out of her bag. Ikuto pulls out his as well. She watches Ikuto a bit as he opens his, the bento out of order, all of it frozen food. She meekly looks down at hers, all of nicely prepared and cooked.

"Um…Ikuto…"

She takes a bit of her rice as he begins to eat as well.

"I-I'll start making you bentos from now on….you know to keep up the…couple image…."

Ikuto glances at his bento before turning his attention to hers as she eats a bit more. He leans forward as she's about to eat a sushi roll, grabbing her hand and helping it guide the food to his mouth. He chews it softly as Hotaru waits for his response.

"May I try a bit of your omelet as well?"

She meekly nods her head, holding out her bento to him a bit. He eyes the bento for a few seconds before turning his gaze to her. A smirk appears on his face as he leans forward, his hand cradling his head.

"Feed me, Hotaru-chan."

Hotaru's face becomes a beet before she shakily grabs a piece of her omelet and holds it out to Ikuto, her chopsticks shaking. His smirk widens before he leans forward and eats it. She watches quietly, trying not to jump for joy at him eating her food.

"Pretty good, alright, I wouldn't mind you making me a bento."

Hotaru smiles brightly at this, her joy apparent.

"Alright."

* * *

The day is over and Hotaru finally reaches her front door. She slides the key into the lock, her voice sounding as she walks in.

"I'm home!"

A soft creak is heard from the living room, an older man smiling softly.

"Welcome home Hotaru-chan. How was school?"

Hotaru smiles softly at the man.

"It was alright brother. I-"

She blushes as she looks down, her ponytail caressing her back.

"I…have a boyfriend now."

Hotaru's brother stops mid-step.

"You…You what?!"

Hotaru blushes as she laughs nervously, her hands waving around in front of her.

"W-well….it's to help him from being bombarded with fangirls…so…."

Hotaru's brother sighs relief.

"So…you're only a pretend girlfriend…"

Hotaru nods her head.

"Yes but…" She touches her lips gingerly. "…he kissed me." Hotaru jumps a bit as she feels an ominous aura.

"C-Calm down brother! I-It didn't mean anything!"

Her brother only huffs in annoyance a bit before looking at the clock.

"Oh, I have to go."

Hotaru's eyes soften.

"Work again?"

Her borther only nods his head. Hotaru eyes him a bit. "Are mother and father-"

"Sorry Hotaru-chan. They're not coming back from their business trip for another few months. Will you be fine on your own?"

Hotaru only continues to smile.

"Of course. I was just curious."

Her brother smiles sadly as he pats her head.

"Alright…I'm off then."

She watches him leave, her sadness only apparent after locking the door behind him. She looks down at her socked feet, a hand on the door for support.

"Always alone…" She mumbles to herself. Hotaru sighs before beginning to go through her usual routine of cleaning up after her brother since the maid has already gone home and making herself dinner. She stirs the boiling pot of pasta before her tears fall, her free hand rubbing at them futilely.

'_Anyone…if anyone can help me…please…please help me to not be so weak…to be myself and tell my family…and Ikuto…how I feel…'_

She finishes her meal and cries herself to sleep.

* * *

"Huh?!?!"

At that moment, Hotaru was glad that no one was home or else she would've woken everyone up with her screaming. She quickly grabs her glasses from her bedside dresser to make sure her eyes aren't playing tricks on her. As her vision evens out, the eggs on her bed come into focus. One a plain white egg with an intricate rose design on it, the other pure black with small stars surrounding it, a crescent moon in the middle.

"Okay….I'm pretty sure that this isn't normal…."

She gently picks them up, the warmth tingling her dainty fingers. She tilts her head as she examines them.

'_What are they anyways? Well…'_

She smiles softly.

'_I can't leave them here. They gotta stay warm to hatch right?'_

_

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**So there's Chapter 2!!! I finally got it to post. So happy!! lol Thanks for reading and thanks for waiting for the few people that did. It made me happy to get alerts about people who liked my story and my one review. Don't worry! I'm not picky about how many I get as long as someone is still reading. Thank you for reading!! I'll try to post sooner next time. I'll make time before work. ^-^**  
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	3. First Hatching, Kia appears!

**Author's Note: Yay!!! I'm working on the next chapter early, though it might not be posted early. Lol So, I'm glad that people read my story. Lol Now that I think about it, I support pairings but for some reason I tend to write stories with oc's. Lol I don't think I do it on purpose really, I guess I just like adding my own element to something.**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

_**Rating: T (for now I think, not sure.)**_

_**Dedication**__: **Mysterious Shadow Girl, Thank you for the review!!! I'll take everything into consideration and don't worry, the tears will fall. lol And your review makes two!  
**_

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**Chapter 3: First hatching, Kia appears!**

Hotaru slowly makes her way to school, making bentos and almost cooking one of her newfound eggs in the process having taken a lot out of her.

"Hotaru-chan!"

Hotaru looks up, a smile on her face, her thoughts concluding that this charade isn't so bad. Ikuto walks over from his group of friends, their eyes watching his back and the girl he's walking to.

"I-Ikuto-semp-kun."

He smiles at her correction, her stuttering cute to him.

"Good morning."

She smiles at him softly, a soft tint on her cheeks.

"Good morning."

As he stops in front of her, Ikuto tilts his head, his nose sniffing the air, his head leaning closer towards her as if searching for something.

"You…smell like eggs…"

Hotaru blushes before reaching into her bag gingerly, carefully avoiding the basket with her eggs inside, to pull out a bento box. She holds it out to him, the kerchief around it a dark blue.

"That's because I made omelets this morning. Here you go."

Ikuto takes the box, a bit surprised at first before smiling at her.

"Thank you…"

He begins to lean in close to her when he notices redness beneath the rim of her glasses, her eyes not very visible.

"Hotaru…why are your…?"

She looks up, a confused look on her face before she looks down rapidly, realizing what he's speaking about.

'_I can't tell him the real reason…he might think ill of it, might think I'm a crybaby. Some weak crybaby…'_

_**[Then change that. From one who holds their feelings in to a girl who can express herself freely with no regrets.]**_

'_Huh?!?'_

_**[Character Change!!]**_

Suddenly, the bow in Hotaru's hair turns to a crescent moon accessory, her face turning solemn.

"That's because I was crying last night because I was home alone."

Ikuto's eyes widen.

"Huh?"

Hotaru's accessory returns to normal, only to leave a confused expression on her face.

'_What just happened?!'_

She looks up to notice Ikuto staring at her, unable to read his face. Her face turns red, a hand covering her mouth as her eyes widen in shock.

"S-sorry Ikuto-kun! I have to…go to the bathroom!"

She runs off, embarrassed by her sudden outburst and the tears threatening to spill.

'_Why did I say that?! I didn't want him to know that! Now, he's gonna think I'm weak or something.'_

She dashes into a bathroom, her breathing rapid. She clutches her chest as she leans against a wall, her hand trying to soothe the pain there.

'_I ran…not a good idea…'_

She waits for her breathing to slow down, her ears only hearing the dripping sound of one of the faucets.

'_I can't avoid him forever.'_

She sighs, slowly walking out of the bathroom and beginning to head to class.

'_The bell should be ringing soon anyways…'_

Hotaru's ponytail swings behind her, her bangs shielding her face, her small footsteps echoing in the slightly crowded hallway. She raises a hand to her lavender locks, her fingers running through them. Her hair had always been pretty much the same since she was younger, not knowing how to style it. She sighs a bit when a sound causes her to stop.

"Hotaru-san!"

Hotaru turns around, looking for the source before noticing a young girl running towards her.

"Yes?"

The girl smiles softly, short brown hair touching her shoulders, a small clip pulling her bangs to the side.

"You mind coming with me? There's something I want to show you."

Hotaru nods her head, beginning to follow the girl as she turns down a hallway. After a few more turns, the girl suddenly pushes herself against the wall, motioning for Hotaru to do the same. The girl peeks around the corner, a small hand rising to her mouth. Hotaru's eyebrow raises, her curiosity getting the best of her as she peeks around the corner as well. Her eyes widen in shock as she sees Ikuto's back, an unknown girl talking to him.

"So…I wanted to tell you how I feel. I think you should break up with Hotaru and go out with someone who deserves you."

"And why do you say that?"

The girl smiles shyly, a small blush on her cheeks, a hand trying to hide it while the other fidgets with the bottom of her skirt.

"Well…I think Hotaru is only using you to become popular. C'mon, that cheesy story of how you two met? So stupid…and besides…"

Suddenly, the girl steps forward, her arms encircling Ikuto's thin waist, his body tensing a bit at the contact.

"…I love you."

Hotaru looks at the girl closely, her face and body prettier than her own. Her mind was too befuddled to recognize the small things of Ikuto's disapproval, her vision only showing his back. Tears fill her eyes before beginning to fall when she notices the girl tip-toeing to kiss Ikuto. She runs off, not wanting to see what happens next.

'_She…she deserves him! It's not like we're really dating, so who am I to stop him?'_

She turns a corner only from several hands to cover her mouth, her glasses getting removed before hands cover those as well. The hands drag her, where she's not sure, until suddenly she's pushed forward, her hands barely catching herself, her glasses tossed next to her. She quickly looks up.

"Hey!"

Hotaru begins to stand only to notice she's in a dark room, the sound of a lock clicking echoing through her ears.

* * *

Ikuto had gone looking for Hotaru after the initial shock had passed. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be seen.

'_Maybe she went to her class. If not, she has to go there sooner or later.'_

His mind was muddled, his thoughts trying to figure out why Hotaru had run off, his look stoic and unmoving. He starts to head toward the office to ask when a small grip on his arm causes him to turn around. He smirks while turning, a smart, teasing retort about to escape his lips, his smirk vanishing as he realizes it's not who he was looking for. His frown becomes apparent.

"Can I help you?"

The girl only smiles.

"Are you looking for Hotaru-san?"

Ikuto nods his head, not wanting to speak.

"Well, we have the same first class. We can see if she's there."

"Alright."

Ikuto allows the girl to lead him, glad to not have to waste time to find out which class. Suddenly, the girl stops.

"Ikuto…"

Ikuto tilts his head in confusion.

"What?"

"I…there's something I need to tell you."

Ikuto's frown deepens, his mind not liking where this was leading to, her body now facing him.

"…I don't know where Hotaru's class is…"

'_Yeah, kind of figured.'_

"…but watching her….I know she's up to no good."

Ikuto raises an eyebrow.

"So?"

The girl frowns a bit before increasing the intensity of the sad expression on her face.

"So…I wanted to tell you how I feel….I…I think you should break up with Hotaru and go out with someone who deserves you."

Ikuto inwardly rolls his eyes.

'_Here we go…'_

"And why do you say that?"

The girl then smiles shyly, her hand trying to hide the blush on her face, the other fidgeting with the bottom of her school uniform skirt. Ikuto's anger seethes a bit, the actions only proving to further annoy him.

"Well…I think Hotaru is only using you to become popular. C'mon, that cheesy story of how you two met? So stupid…"

Ikuto mentally frowns.

'_I thought it was a bit cheesy too…'_

"…and besides…"

Ikuto snaps out of his thoughts when the girl's frail arms wrap around him, his body tensing at the unwanted contact.

"…I love you."

Ikuto's eyes widen in shock at the sudden confession, not realizing that her face was suddenly getting closer to his own.

'_What the…?'_

His frown intensifies before grabbing the girl's face in his hands and pulling her away at the last second.

"I've told you once before and obviously you didn't hear me, so I'll say it again. I have a girlfriend. Get over it. That cheesy story is actually how we met, so don't call it or her stupid."

He releases her, before beginning to walk away.

"Don't come near me anymore."

He sighs at the interference, his feet leading him to the main office.

* * *

"Somebody help!! Anyone!!"

Hotaru hangs her head in defeat, already knowing that the last bell rang awhile ago. Class had already started, no one could hear her. She sits on the ground, her arms hugging her legs, her eyes tearing up.

'_I'm…so weak and stupid…I can't…'_

She buries her face in her arms.

'…_I can't even hang on to Ikuto…we're not even really dating…'_

_**[Then change that…]**_

"Huh?"

Hotaru raises her head, her eyes looking around the dimly lit closet before she notices movement coming from her bag. She raises the flap to notice one of the eggs moving before opening up, a small person inside. Hotaru's eyes widen in shock, unsure of what to do. The little person floats out, their long aqua green hair pulled into a ponytail, square-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. Her outfit consisting of a long dress, the skirt split into two, the back half longer than the front, a thin, black turtleneck long-sleeved dress underneath, the end peeking out from the dress on top. Hotaru tilts her head, her eyebrow arched.

'_A…a ninja?!'_

"C'mon Hotaru-chan! Don't give up. Have courage. Be honest! You can win Ikuto's heart. You're not weak at all."

Hotaru is in awe at the compliments, the feeling of joy tingling in her stomach.

"Now, Character Change!"

Hotaru's bow turns into a crescent moon once more, determination setting into her facial features. She stands up, her hands clenched at her sides as she takes a deep breath. She slowly steps back until she feels the shelf behind her, using what space she has for a running start.

'_She's right…I shouldn't give up…'_

She stills before suddenly running forward, her shoulder hitting the door. It doesn't budge. Hotaru rubs her shoulder, trying to soothe the ache she instilled into it.

"Don't give up Hotaru-chan."

"Alright."

She rushes forward again.

* * *

"Ikuto-san, you alright?"

Ikuto turns his head towards one of his friends, his expression nonchalant.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

His friend shrugs.

"I don't know….you just seem like you're sulking."

Ikuto frowns.

"I'm not sulking."

His friend chuckles a bit before playfully punching his arm.

"Yeah, right. I bet it's because Hotaru-chan ran off suddenly."

Ikuto glares at him suddenly, his eyebrow twitching a bit. One; at the accusation of his so called moodiness, two; and he didn't really know why, at his friend using a certain suffix on Hotaru's name.

"I'm not sulking." Was his only response.

He turns back to the window at his friend's snickers.

'_She didn't come to class…I wonder why?'_

"Why are you sulking Iku-chan?"

Ikuto sighs in frustration.

"I'm not sulking Yoru. Did you finish your nap?"

Yoru happily nods his head, one his paws fixing the hair on his head.

"Yup, but mainly cause these girls chatting woke me up. They were talking about succeeding in their plan."

Ikuto raises an eyebrow, his interest barely peaked.

"Plan?"

Yoru begins playing with his tail a bit.

"Yeah…something about locking a girl in a closet. It was really weird…"

Ikuto's eyes widen a bit.

'_It couldn't be…could it?'_

"Which closet?"

Yoru raises his head, now noticing Ikuto's interest in the subject. He tilts his head in thought.

"I think I heard them say the closet near an auditorium or something like that…Why?"

Ikuto shifts his eyes a bit before nonchalantly raising his hand. The teacher stops mid-sentence at spotting the raised hand.

"Yes Tsukiyomi-san?"

"Need to go to the bathroom."

The teacher nods his head, placing the hall pass on the front of his desk for Ikuto. Ikuto grabs it before walking out of the classroom. As soon as the door shuts behind him, he takes off running. Yoru appears beside him after awhile, his eyes curious.

"What's up Ikuto?"

Ikuto looks around a bit, trying to remember the way to the auditorium.

"I think the girl locked in the closet is someone I know."

* * *

Hotaru's breath is coming out in heavy pants, sweat running down her ivory skin.

"You alright Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru smiles faintly at her new found companion as she wipes her forehead a bit with her sleeve.

"Yeah…I'm fine. I can't…give up yet. Even if I am a bit tired."

Hotaru walks backwards again until she feels the shelves pressing into her back.

"Again…one more time….One…"

She digs her feet into the cement floor.

"…Two…"

Her eyes harden a bit, locked onto the door.

"…Three!"

A door clicks a she runs toward the door, bracing herself for the wooden door only to feel something soft and warm as she falls over.

"Ah!"

She opens her eyes a bit only to realize that she's on someone and not the cold floor.

"I thought so."

Hotaru raises her head at the familiar voice.

"I-Ikuto-kun!"

She looks around and noticing the position they're in, blushes deeply and quickly scrambles off of him.

"S-sorry Ikuto-kun."

Ikuto doesn't say a word as he stands up, brushing himself off a bit, before offering her a hand. She looks at it for awhile before hesitantly accepting it.

"How did you know I was here?"

Ikuto shrugs his shoulders.

"You didn't go to class and then I heard some girls talking about locking someone up."

Hotaru nods her head a bit, realizing that he must've gone looking for her, before remembering why she had ran off in the first place which ended up in her capture. She looks down sadly, her eyes averted to the ground.

"What's wrong Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru turns to her new friend, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Well…"

"You have a Guardian Character?"

Both look up, Ikuto's eyes set in an amused expression.

"Guardian Character?"

Yoru appears on Ikuto's shoulder.

"Like me!"

Hotaru jumps back a bit, a hand on her chest to try and cease her fast beating heart. She turns to Ikuto.

"Guardian Character..?"

Hotaru's guardian nods her head.

"Yup. I, Kia, am a guardian character. The "self" you want to be."

Hotaru nods her head, trying to take everything in calmly.

"So, who is this Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru looks around real quick before whispering softly, a small blush adorning her cheeks.

"My pretend boyfriend…"

Kia turns to Hotaru as Yoru looks at Ikuto wide-eyed.

"Wow Iku-chan. You got a girlfriend? How long have I been asleep?"

Ikuto simply nods his head, ignoring the teasing tone, as Yoru floats over to Hotaru, his body spinning around her own.

"Seems small and dainty…"

Kia begins following Yoru, obviously not pleased with the inspection.

"May I ask what you are doing?"

Yoru only smiles cheekily at her.

"Inspecting Ikuto's catch."

Kia frowns, irritation in her eyes.

"Catch?"

Yoru snickers as he stops at Hotaru's face. He tilts his head one way, then the other before peering closely, past Hotaru's bangs. Yoru's face only turns a deep red before he suddenly floats to the top of her head to lie down, his purring obvious. Kia 'humphs' as she crosses her arms.

"Well…I have the same right then."

Ikuto smiles a bit, his arrogant smirk in place.

"Take your time."

Kia blushes at the smirk, trying to keep her composure. Hotaru giggles, Yoru having fallen asleep on her head.

"So, what's his name?"

She points a finger toward Yoru as Ikuto smirks.

"Yoru."

Kia suddenly appears in his face, finally done with her own assessment.

"I guess he passes….for a fake boyfriend."

At those words, Hotaru's head hangs a bit.

"So…how'd you get locked in there?"

Hotaru shrugs, not really wanting to recall the experience.

"I don't know. Several people dragged me away all of a sudden as I turned a corner."

Ikuto nods his head, the sad look on her face bothering him.

'_She's hiding something…'_

"Hotar-"

"Ikuto…"

Ikuto tilts his head, not noticing Hotaru's bow had changed.

"I…I know we're not really dating. So…I don't care if you talk to other girls."

Ikuto's eyes widen at the sudden conversation change. Hotaru looks down meekly, her courage faltering a bit.

"I saw you talking to that girl so…she's pretty…"

Hotaru waits, unsure of what to say now, her body bracing itself for Ikuto's response. Her eyes widen as she hears him sigh.

"Obviously you didn't see me push her away then when she tried to kiss me."

Hotaru looks up in shock, never having imagined that outcome.

"You…you did?"

Ikuto nods his head, his dark blue hair swaying with the action a bit.

"You're my pretend girlfriend for a reason. I hate girls like that. So…pushy. It's annoying."

Hotaru smiles softly to herself, Kia now on her shoulder smiling.

"I…understand."

Ikuto looks around a bit before wrapping an arm around Hotaru's shoulders.

"C'mon, I'll walk you to the nurses. I gotta return the janitor's keys anyways."

Hotaru nods her head, keeping her cool composure despite her beating heart.

"Alright…"

'_More and more…'_

She leans her head on Ikuto a bit, her body a bit sore.

'…_I fall in love with him.'_

_

* * *

  
_

**Author's Note: And there you have it!! Their relationship heats up a bit and Hotaru's first egg makes her appearance. I will post a link for a picture of Kia later. She's my Naruto OC, I just thought I'd use her again since she's a favorite. Lol If you're wondering what Kia represents, she's Hotaru's wish to be strong and calm, able to freely express herself and still act cool. Her next egg will surprise you a bit. Lol Well, let me know what you think! Thank you!!**


	4. The Truth Behind Amethyst Eyes

**Author's Note: So, here's chapter 4 for those who have been waiting. This chapter will start to bring Hotaru's story along with the original storyline. This is where the turn of events aren't so simple and for those of you who are wondering who Hotaru's brother is, he'll make his big appearance later. Why? Oh, you'll see. Not this chapter, but in a few. He he**

_Summary:_ _Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

_**toricahill1978: Hotaru is going to have two eggs, another will be added later on. Amu and the others are actually going to make their appearance in this chapter. Also, I believe Ikuto is his perverted self to those he likes and Hotaru is unknown territory, but starting from this chapter, he will be. Lol**_

_**I love athrun & Miserae: Thank you~!**_

_**Dedication: I love athrun for encouraging me to keep writing.**_

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Chapter 4: The Truth Behind Amethyst Eyes

"I'm here Hinamori-san."

An older woman peeks her head around a corner, the woman kind looking.

"Oh, Hotaru-chan. Good timing. Amu is upstairs right now doing homework and Ami is asleep. My husband and I will be leaving in a few."

Hotaru nods her head softly as she slips her shoes off, her feet beginning to head upstairs. Kia flies up to Hotaru's shoulder, her big lavender eyes looking at her.

"See? She didn't see me. Only those with eggs in their hearts can."

Hotaru nods her head, a small giggle escaping her lips.

"So it would seem."

Kia begins to float in a circle.

"So….who is this Amu?"

Hotaru smiles softly, her braid swinging behind her as she ascends the last few stairs to the second floor and turns a corner.

"She is a girl I watch from time to time for her parents. Her and her younger sister are like family to me. I would do anything to keep them out of harm's way."

Kia smiles. Hotaru grabs a doorknob and walks into a room.

"Hello, hello, Amu-chan."

A young pink-haired girl looks up from her desk to see her, a smile spreading across her face.

"Taru-chan!"

She runs over, arms spread wide to hug her. As they embrace, Amu tenses a bit. Hotaru only shakes her head at this, a teasing smile on her face.

"Don't worry, your parents are about to leave and your sister is asleep."

The young girl's body relaxes at the comfort in the words before pulling away. Hotaru giggles at Amu's actions, her reaction always the same.

"Still holding up your façade I see."

Amu nods her head as she sighs.

"It's so tiring."

They both walk over to the small twin-sized bed and sit, the room nicely kept.

"So, how have you been Amu-chan?"

Amu's head suddenly hangs down, a dark cloud over head.

"I had my first meeting with Tadase-kun a few days ago and I acted instinctively on keeping my image."

Hotaru teardrops as she places a hand on Amu's head.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get another chance."

Amu nods her head meekly.

"Yeah…especially since I've been asked to join the guardians."

Hotaru tilts her head.

"You were? Wow…"

Amu looks away worriedly.

"But I'm not sure I should. I just started making friends. I don't want to weird them out with this."

Hotaru smiles softly, a comforting hand on the troubled girl's shoulder.

"Yes well…I'm sure you'll figure it out. So, you've made some friends?"

"Yes, Amu-chan was awesome!"

"Pretty cool."

Hotaru looks up to see two Shugo chara floating around, one a pink cheerleader, the other a blue artist. Hotaru blinks as Amu reacts.

"I thought I told you two to hide!"

The blue one moves out of her reach.

"Who is this anyways?"

The pink one giggles.

"Besides, we told you, only people with-"

"Amu…"

All three turn to Hotaru, Amu's face in shock as Hotaru watches her, a finger pointing at her two guardians.

"You have Guardian Characters? Since when?"

All is quiet when the pink one floats over.

"You can see us? That means…"

"Yes, indeed."

Amu points at her guardians, her finger wagging between the two.

"You can see them?"

Hotaru nods her head.

"How..?"

Hotaru turns to the messenger bag on her hip, her hands lifting the flap.

"You can come out Kia."

After a few seconds, Kia's small head pops out, her hands adjusting her glasses as she floats out.

"So, it would seem your Amu has Guardians as well."

Amu smiles widely, glad to have discovered this new secret.

"Oh my gosh! You have one too!"

Hotaru smiles a bit, her hand rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. Amu's two rush over to Kia.

"I'm Ran!"

"Miki…"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kia."

The girls smile at the Guardians getting along well before turning to each other, questions in each of their eyes.

"So, you have two Amu-chan?"

Amu shakes her head a bit before pointing to a basket near her bed, a small green egg sitting snugly inside.

"I actually have 3. Miki hatched today, now I'm waiting on the third one."

Hotaru stares at the egg for a bit, the club symbol intriguing her before she reaches into her bag to pull out her second egg.

"Yeah…I'm waiting for my other egg to hatch as well. Kia hatched earlier when I got locked in a Janitor's closet."

Amu's eyes widen in shock before she suddenly grabs Hotaru's shoulders.

"You got locked in a closet?! Why?! What happened?!?!"

Hotaru laughs nervously, her glasses sliding down a bit.

"W-well…."

* * *

"Whew…glad to be through another day."

The day had luckily been normal besides Ikuto's usual comment of her scent consisting of eggs. Hotaru turns her eyes to her shoulder, Kia sitting quietly, her feet swinging to and fro.

"Why do you think he always says that?"

Kia's small hand goes to her chin in thought.

"I think…he can smell your other egg. His Guardian is a cat after all."

Hotaru moves her line of sight to her bag, her egg sitting inside comfortably.

"You think so?"

Kia shrugs.

"Maybe…"

"Taru-chan!"

Hotaru turns at the familiar voice, her eyes spotting Amu effortlessly as she runs toward her.

"Amu-chan?"

Amu slows down as she approaches, a huge, nervous smile on her face.

"I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to ask you something."

Hotaru tilts her head.

"What is it?"

Amu perks up more.

"Well, a friend of mine asked me if I would like to make sweets for Tadase-kun's birthday tomorrow. I was wondering if you would like to come along to try and impress your fake boyfriend."

Hotaru's cheeks blush a bit at the mention of Ikuto, the idea tempting. After a few seconds of thought, Hotaru smiles widely.

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Let's go home and change first though, alright?"

Amu nods her head happily as they rush home.

* * *

"Nice to meet you, I'm Nadeshiko Fujisaki and this is Temari, My Guardian."

Hotaru bows a bit.

"The pleasure's all mine. I'm Hotaru and this is Kia."

Both guardians bow to each other, their creators giggling a bit. Hotaru pulls her bangs to the side with a few clips, not wanting it to block her view while cooking, the rest braided nicely behind her, her face clear to all. Amu smiles to herself, loving to see Hotaru's face out in the open, no longer hidden by her hair. Amu's outfit consists of a black and red plaid dress with a matching apron while Hotaru's, besides her dainty light blue apron, consists of a summer dress, a small sweater covering her bare shoulders, pants concealing her legs.

"Alright, so shall we begin?"

Both girls nod their heads, eager to begin. Hotaru carefully places her egg in the front pouch of her apron, the pocket on her chest. All three girls smile as they begin to mix, pound, and create their batter. As Hotaru whisks her creation, her eyes land on Nadeshiko curiously, a bit envious of her femininity.

'_I wish…I could be that feminine. Besides my favorite dish…I can't cook….and I don't dress girly as much as I'd like to since I become self-conscious…'_

She sighs. As the tarts finally come out of the oven, everyone smiles at the success, the smell alluring.

"They smell so good."

Nadeshiko smiles as she nods her head.

"Alright you two, I'll be right back."

Amu stiffens at her words, her nervousness apparent.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get the fruit. I'll be back soon. Get started without me, okay?"

Amu looks down at her tart as Hotaru starts hers, unsure of what to do herself. She stops, noticing Amu's expression.

"Something wrong, Amu-chan?"

"I…"

Amu grabs her whisk nervously, the instrument shaking in her hand.

"…I just wonder if I can do it by myself."

Hotaru's eyes soften a bit in sympathy, understanding the girl's fear.

"Oh, Amu-chan…I'm sure you can do it if you put your mind to it…."

Amu smiles at the compliment as her whisk begins to float in the air.

**[You can do it Amu-chan. Character Cha-] **

"And that's enough of that."

Hotaru freezes at the familiar voice coming from behind her, the arm that extended over her shoulder pulling back, Amu's egg in its hand. A clatter is heard as the whisk drops. Amu looks up defiantly.

"My egg! Perverted cat cosplayer!"

"Cos…hey…"

Hotaru can't move, her body trembling as she hears out what's going on, her head lowered.

"Give me back my egg!"

As Amu begins to run around the counter, Hotaru stops her, her back still to the intruder.

"Amu…let me handle this…"

Hotaru turns around, her head still down.

"Ikuto-kun…give Amu-chan back her egg…please…"

"And why should I-"

He stops as he recognizes the voice.

"….and what if I say no?"

Hotaru rushes forward, determination in her eyes, a crescent moon at the bottom of her braid, as she reaches her hand out toward Amu's egg. Ikuto reacts late at pulling his hand back, the action causing both of them to fall a bit before Ikuto stables himself and Hotaru, their eyes locked on each other, eye contact made fully for the first time, Amu's egg slightly forgotten. **_(A.N. Yes, I realize this was Amu's thing but a lot of those things will change with Hotaru around.)_**

"I-Iku-"

Hotaru is cut off as Ikuto pushes them down onto the floor, his body hovering over her own, her face red at the proximity. Amu's egg rolls along the floor toward Amu, as Hotaru's begins to slip out of her pocket.

"I-Ikuto-kun….W-why do you…w-want Amu's..?"

She notices his eyes drift from her eyes finally as he notices the new egg.

"You have another one…"

It's quiet, Amu standing a bit away, her egg in her hand, unsure of how to react.

"I-Ikuto-"

"That's far enough!!"

Both look up quickly to notice Nadeshiko back, her anger apparent.

"I see you've let yourself in you thieving cat!! Are you alright Hotaru-san, Amu-chan?"

Amu slowly nods her head as Hotaru moves backwards, a hand over her heart, the other on her cheek.

'_What…what was that all about?!'_

"Temari!! Character Change!!"

"Alright! Chin…Ton…Shan!"

At the final beat, Nadeshiko's appearance takes on a new form, her eyes showing evil beyond an extent, Hotaru and Amu frightened to their spot as she begins to attack Ikuto with a Naginata.

"I'm going to take you down! Prepare yourself!!"

As they begin their one-on-one duel of sorts, Ikuto's dodging ends up in knocking over the tarts, the girl's faces all frozen in shock as the break upon contact with the ground.

_'The tarts..!'_

"Amu-chan, we need to character change too!"

"Don't worry, Suu is here~!"

Hotaru turns to Amu just in time to see the third egg hatch, a little blonde girl popping out, a small basket on her arm.

"Ready? Chip, Syrup…Whip!!"

At the final magic word, her whisk spinning in her hand, a giant avalanche of whipped cream sweeps them up, the flood forcing them out into the hallway. As Hotaru regains her senses, she quickly looks around for Amu only to notice a beautiful, blonde-haired girl watching Amu. As the girl then turns to her, she scowls, her disapproval set in her eyes.

_'Did she just scowl at me?!'_

The girl turns her head quickly, Ikuto's name emitting from her lips, her hand being offered to him. Hotaru's eyes widen with disbelief.

_'He…he knows this beautiful girl?'_

"What are you doing Ikuto?"

"Utau…"

Utau turns to Amu once more, her eyes scanning her over.

"This girl's egg is obviously not the embryo. We don't need to bother her anymore. Although…"

She then snaps her attention to Hotaru, the young emerald-eyed girl flinching at the hate being directed towards her.

"…this girl still has an unhatched egg. If it's the embryo then our wishes will be-"

Ikuto quickly places an arm around Utau, tugging her a bit.

"You speak too much. Let's go."

"But Ikuto!"

Hotaru watches as they begin walking away, her hands wrapped tightly around her egg, her body trembling.

"Oh no! The tarts are broken!"

Hotaru snaps out of her reverie to notice the disheartened look on the girl's faces.

"This is so cruel…"

"What do we do now?"

"…what does it matter? It wasn't like me to do something like this…anyway…"

Hotaru's eyebrows furrow as she spots a gleam from Amu's eyes. She quickly rushes over, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders, her spirit disheartened.

"A-Amu-chan…we could…Um…"

Hotaru struggles to cheer Amu up as her voice begins shaking, unsure of what to think about Ikuto and his actions. She leans her forehead on Amu's shoulder. Noticing the silence, Nadeshiko dives in to help.

"Amu-chan, should we try to make another one?"

"No…we don't even have time to…"

As tears fall from both of their eyes, Ikuto looks back a bit before disappearing from sight.

"It's alright, Amu-chan. We can't make another tart, but…"

Nadeshiko gasps in realization on where Suu is going with her words, the little blonde chara smiling happily.

"…but we can make something else."

"Chip, Syrup, Whip!"

* * *

Hotaru sighs as she walks in the door, the box of freshly made cookies in her hand. She swiftly slips her shoes off, as she begins to head to her room, her mind jumbled with so many things that her head is throbbing.

"You're home late."

A small 'Eep' escapes her lips as she jumps, quickly turning to her brother in the living room.

"Onii-chan! You startled me."

Hotaru's brother only smiles a bit before he begins chuckling at his sister's antics.

"Sorry…didn't mean to, I thought you had seen me."

He removes himself from his seat before walking over and inspecting his sister.

"So, how was your day?"

Hotaru smiles happily.

"Well, normal before the girl I babysit asked if I wanted to help bake some sweets today and then-"

Hotaru's enthusiasm falters as she remembers Ikuto's actions earlier that day, her hesitation not unnoticed by her sibling.

"What? Did something happen?"

Hotaru lowers her head, her hands gripping the box of sweets with a strong grip, her body shaking a bit.

"Onii-chan…what do you do…when someone you care for is doing something that you know is wrong?"

Her brother tenses a bit, though this goes unnoticed by Hotaru before he tilts his head to inspect her face.

"Who is doing something wrong?"

"My…fake boyfriend, Ikuto…"

Her brother tenses once more, though Hotaru catches it this time, her head lifting to examine her brother's reaction.

"…Ikuto…Tsukiyomi?"

Hotaru nods her head slowly, unsure of where this was leading, though her gut gave lurch, leaning toward something bad. A few seconds of silence.

"Onii-"

"I want you to stop hanging out with Ikuto Tsukiyomi. That's an order."

Hotaru's eyes widen, as a painful squeeze envelops her heart, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

"But Onii-chan-!"

"No buts!"

At that, he turns away, grabbing his coat and slamming the front door behind him. Hotaru stands there hopelessly, tears streaming down her face, her mind trying to find a answer to her question.

'_What did I do?' _

_

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_

**So~! There~! Chapter 4~! Let me know what you think. Review my lovely readers!....Please? lol Oh, on a side note, I do draw some art and have been a bit inspired lately. If you have any request of certain scenes from this story, let me know and I will do my best~! When finished I will post a link. Thank you!**


	5. The Trials of Being in Fake Love

**Author's Note: And it's Chapter 5!! Oh my gosh. Lol Sorry it's taken so long but…work…no comp…working on it though. Lol For those of you who haven't noticed, I've posted a link on my profile to a pic I've drawn of Hotaru and her charas. Let me know what you think. So let's begin~!**

**toricahill1978**** : Sorry if it seemed a bit confusing. Lol And yes she does surprisingly.**

**LaharlCrazy1120****: If you actually go to my profile, I have a link to a pic I've drawn of Hotaru. Thank you for reading~! It makes my heart smile.**

**Miserae****: Thank you *crying tears of joy***

**Dedication: To the three above. They encourage me to keep writing and to destroy every writer's block that I have with a GIANT sledgehammer. Lol**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

_**Rating: T (for now I think, not sure.)**_

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**Chapter 5: The Trials Of Being In (fake)Love**

Hotaru's mind was running a mile a minute, questions bouncing around inside her head.

'_Why did Onii-chan tell me to stay away from Ikuto-kun? Does he know Ikuto-kun? And why was Ikuto-kun trying to steal Amu-chan's egg?'_

She groans as she rolls onto her side, her hands gripping onto her egg.

'_What should I do?'_

She rolls onto her back once more, her hair splayed around her. She sighs before sitting up, her alarm beginning to beep. She reaches over, her fingers feeling around until they find the off switch. She flips the switch as her other hand runs through her hair.

'_I have to go to school.'_

She begins her daily routine, putting on her uniform, brushing her teeth, making breakfast…but she halts at her hair. She fingers a few lavender locks before looking at herself in the mirror.

'_I feel like trying something…different…'_

She grabs her brush and begins to work on her hair.

* * *

"How are you feeling Hotaru?"

Hotaru sighs, her gaze downward as her feet take her to school.

"Not sure…nervous? This whole trying something new thing has my insides in a knot…"

Kia grabs some Hotaru's hair.

"Though…I think it looks great but you should pull your bangs aside."

Hotaru fidgets with her bangs a bit, a majority of her face hidden behind them.

"Well…I'm already nervous about this so…"

She spots the school gate a bit a ways away. She sighs inwardly as Kia reaches into Hotaru's bag and pulls out a few small bobby pins. She looks up pleadingly.

"Please?"

Hotaru eyes the clips for a bit before sighing and taking them from her. She swiftly pulls her bangs to the side, sliding the pins in place, her face now visible.

"Better?"

Kia happily nods her head before situating herself in Hotaru's bag once more. Hotaru looks at the gate again, her hands quivering a bit. Hotaru breathes in deeply in order to calm her nerves a bit.

'_Alright, let's do this. Be confident…'_

Unbeknownst to Hotaru, her second egg twitches a bit. She slowly walks toward the entrance, her heart beating fast inside her chest. She takes one last deep breath before walking in, eyes on the school door as a sort of goal. The minute people spot her, Hotaru's ears catch whispers.

'What is everyone whispering about?'

Hotaru's steps slow down, her confidence faltering.

'_Oh no…'_

_

* * *

  
_

Ikuto is in his usual circle of friends but his mind is elsewhere. His memory of yesterday's incident is repeating in his head over and over again, one part in particular really.

_Hotaru rushes forward, determination in her eyes, a crescent moon at the bottom of her braid, as she reaches her hand out toward Amu's egg. Ikuto reacts late at pulling his hand back, the action causing both of them to fall a bit before Ikuto stables himself and Hotaru, their eyes locked on each other, eye contact made fully for the first time, Amu's egg slightly forgotten. _

'_Her eyes are green…'_

Suddenly, Ikuto's ears catch a few whispers. He turns to his friends to notice them all looking in the same direction before one of them speaks.

"Who's the cutie?"

"I wonder if she's new."

"I think I'm gonna-"

Ikuto tunes them out, his interest not peaked at all.

'_She's probably not as cute as-'_

"Hey Ikuto, isn't that your girlfriend?"

Ikuto raises an eyebrow at his friend before pushing himself off of the tree he was leaning against. He peeks around only for his eyes to widen. It was true. It was Hotaru, but…she looked different…in a good way. Her hair, instead of its usual ponytail was pulled into two low pigtails, ribbons holding them back, her bangs pulled to the side. His eyes than lower to her lips, a small shine to them.

'_Lip gloss…'_

The major thing Ikuto had noticed was that he could see her face.

…**Everyone**…could see her face.

Ikuto frowns at this before beginning to walk over to Hotaru, his eyes noticing that she had spotted him, a flash of fear going through her eyes. His mind was confused.

'_Why would she be afraid of me? I-'_

That's when he recalls yesterday's incident.

'_Yesterday…right…'_

He sighs, stopping in front of her, all eyes on them.

Hotaru is trembling a bit, unsure of what's going to happen when she spots him smirking at her. A deep hue takes to her face. He leans toward her, a playful sparkle in his eyes.

"I-Ikuto-kun?"

Hotaru leans back a bit, her foot taking a step back, nervous by the lack of space between them. He suddenly reaches up, cradling her head in his hands as he leans closer.

"With you backing away with that pretty face of yours, I'd say you were teasing me."

Hotaru's eyes widen a bit at his statement…and compliment. Ikuto's head lowers even more, his lips a breath away from her own.

"Sorry, but…I like to flaunt what's mine."

Hotaru is confused a bit before Ikuto suddenly kisses her, his hands holding her head in place. Hotaru is in shock from so many things that she doesn't even have time to react before Ikuto pulls away.

'_He called me his…he…he kissed me?!'_

Hotaru's head continues spinning a bit as Ikuto grabs her hand and pulls her away, inside the school to an abandoned corridor. It's when Ikuto notices no one around that he stops and turns to Hotaru to notice that same fearful look in her eyes, the blush on her cheeks still visible.

"Look…I'm not going to take your egg. I doubt it's the embryo…alright?"

Hotaru is quiet before releasing the breath she was holding, her shoulders sagging a bit in relief.

"O-Okay but…why did you take me here then? No one's around…"

Ikuto smirks at her observation.

"Call me what you will but…"

His mouth lowers to her ear, his voice only a whisper.

"…I tend to be stingy with what's mine."

At this, his lips land on her neck, his mouth sucking greedily, Hotaru's mouth releasing a soft gasp. Her small dainty hands grab onto his shirt tightly before he pulls away, a hind of a amusement in his eyes, a triumphant smirk on his lips. Hotaru is in shock from the sensation in her stomach, her breaths coming out heavily. A loud ring is heard, causing both to look up suddenly. Ikuto begins to walk away, Hotaru's hand in his own.

"Well…let's get to class."

Hotaru only manages to nod her head, her mind too muddled to do anything else.

* * *

Hotaru is in class, her hand working diligently to copy the notes on the blackboard, her mind working on solving the problems. It's when a small noise is heard that she snaps out of her reverie to look around. No one is moving, all of their eyes to the front. She frowns a bit in confusion when she spots a small piece of folded paper on her desk.

'_That wasn't there before…'_

She reaches for it, her dainty fingers fumbling a bit, the words scrawled on the note causing her breath to hitch. The paper slips from her hands as she looks around, everyone still taking notes. She looks at the note, now open on her desk, a slight pang in her heart.

'_You're such a slut…'_

_

* * *

  
_

Hotaru is currently sitting in the bathroom, tears streaming down her face. Lunch had started a few minutes ago and she did not want to face anyone…not after what happened. Luckily for her the bathroom she was in did not get used by many. People believed it to be haunted for one reason or another. Kia pops her head out of Hotaru's bag, gasping for air. Hotaru turns to her.

"*sniff* Are you alright?"

Kia nods her head a bit.

"Yeah but that bag of treats you put in there squished me."

Hotaru wipes her eyes a bit with the back of her hand.

"Treats? But…I didn't…"

Kia tilts her head a bit before turning to Hotaru's bag and lifting the flap. Sure enough, inside is a small grocery bag full of sweets and treats. Hotaru blinks slowly, confusion etched on her face as she pulls the bag out. She looks through it but there's no note.

"Hm….that's weird…I don't-"

She stops, noticing a small cat print on several of the wrappers. She smiles softly a bit.

"I know who they're from but I don't get why he gave me these…or when for that matter."

"It's his way of saying sorry for the other day."

Hotaru and Kia look up, surprised by Yoru's voice. Hotaru quickly rubs her eyes, trying to rid herself of any signs that she was crying. Kia floats up to Yoru.

"What're you doing in here? A girl's bathroom no less."

Yoru only stretches, scratching behind his ear.

"It's quiet in here. No one seems to come in here."

Both guardians turn to Hotaru who is still sitting on the floor, her head down.

"So, why are you in here?"

Hotaru laughs nervously, a fake smile on her face as the two characters jump toward her.

"W-well…I wasn't…feeling well. So, I-I came in here t-to….sit…."

Hotaru's smile had faded halfway through her explanation. Yoru begins rubbing himself affectionately against Hotaru's arm, his purring obvious. Hotaru giggles before patting his head.

"Thank you Yoru, but I'm fine…really…"

"Would this have anything to do with it?"

Hotaru looks down at Kia, who unknowingly, had pulled the note from earlier out of her pocket. Hotaru only nods her head a bit, lost for words at the unwanted item.

"Yes…I just don't get why someone would say that though."

All is quiet when the door to the bathroom suddenly opens. All three look up to notice a smirking trio of girls.

"So, this is where you've been hiding."

Hotaru looks at each of the girl's faces, noticing the malicious glint in their eyes. She stands up, her stance defensive.

"What do you want?"

The main girl fakes shock.

"Why Hotaru, whatever do you mean?"

Hotaru frowns deeply at the remembering the main girl. She was the one who had told Ikuto that he should break up with her.

"I don't know you so you have no right to call me by my first name."

The girls laugh.

"You may not know us, but we know you. Like how you're deceiving Ikuto-kun and what a whore you are."

Hotaru's stance drops at their words, the hurt evident on her face.

"I-I…I'm not a…"

The girl's only continue to laugh as they close the bathroom door, one of them pulling on one of Hotaru's pigtails.

"Ah! Let go!"

Yoru turns to Kia.

"Go get Ikuto. I have a plan."

Kia nods her head before hurriedly floating out of an open window.

* * *

Ikuto is sitting on a bench, the usual eating place for him and Hotaru, a dark aura enveloped around him.

'_Where is she? I told her I wasn't going to take her egg, so why isn't she here yet?'_

He looks around the courtyard, his amethyst eyes hoping to spot a flash of lavender.

"Ikuto-kun!!"

Ikuto's head perks up, his eyes roaming about, wondering who called his name when he notices the little guardian floating towards him, emergency written over her face. He stands as she finally reaches him.

"Kia, what's wrong?"

Ikuto's calm eyes take in her disheveled appearance, his mind wanting her to hurry up.

"H-Hotaru…danger…bathroom…this way…"

Kia takes off in the direction she came from, Ikuto following right behind her.

* * *

**And that's it for now~! Now, I don't usually do these but I couldn't help myself and I had to dig deep for this. Lol So, let me know what you think so far. I wait patiently(not really) for your reviews. Bye~!**


	6. The Trials of Being in Fake Love: Part 2

**Author's Note: So, um….I can explain….really….See, with holidays coming up, I've been swamped with work and I didn't visit my cousin's computer because I was supposed to get my own laptop, which obviously hasn't happened yet, but it will. Also, I tore ligaments in my knee, so I've been stuck to my bed the minute I get off work, so yeah….I'm sorry that this chapter will be a bit short, but it's only because it's to end the dispute going on. I'll post the next one soon. I promise.**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

**Rating: T**

_**Dedication: To all of those who reviewed. Your reviews make my day brighter and my leg immobilizer not so annoying.**_

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**Chapter 6: The Trials of Being in (Fake) Love:****Part 2**

Hotaru winces in pain as the girl holding her hair tugs slightly, a small cry escaping her mouth. The other forces her to her knees as the leader laughs.

"Aw….poor Hotaru. I guess she's not into hair pulling."

She grabs Hotaru's chin, her nails digging slightly into her.

"Well…In our defense, we tried to warn you but it seems that locking you in a janitor closet wasn't enough of a threat. So…we'll have to try other methods."

Hotaru gasps, looking up at each of the girls, her mind coming to unpleasant circumstances. In her mind, this most likely wasn't going to end well.

"W-Why are you doing this?"

The main girl grins once more, before raising her hand and swiftly swinging it into Hotaru's face. The sound of the skin contact echoes in the small bathroom. Hotaru is in shock, one of her hands touching her face, the stinging sensation high.

"Well, I guess I could explain it….obviously because you're with Ikuto-kun when he belongs to everyone."

Hotaru frowns deeply.

"He belongs to everyone? How was this decided?"

The girl shrugs nonchalantly before grabbing Hotaru's other pigtail to pull her closer.

"It doesn't matter how it was decided, what matters is who enforces it. All you need to know is that a hundred girls are out to get you, some probably worse than me. You should be wary….or…."

The girl slaps Hotaru once more, the impact knocking her body to the ground.

"…you could just break up with him."

Hotaru's eyes widen.

* * *

"So now they're all in the bathroom. When I left, one of them had grabbed Hotaru's hair."

Ikuto frowns deeply, his feet pushing the ground beneath him.

"So, Yoru's still there?"

Kia nods her head, her hair flowing behind her.

"He said he had a plan."

The bathroom door finally comes into sight, their eyes on the handle. Ikuto's hand shoots towards it only for him to realize something that gave him a bit of a sick feeling.

The door was locked.

"Crap! They locked it!"

Ikuto presses his ear to the door, trying to pick up any noise.

"…or…."

He hears a slap, a thud following quickly, his anger only growing at what his imagination was playing for him.

"…you could just break up with him."

Ikuto's anger drops drastically as he realizes the cause of the situation.

'_This…this is my fault…'_

He growls a bit, his hand rising to pound the door when his ears pick up words that cause him to freeze.

* * *

Hotaru lifts her head gingerly, her bangs hiding her face, her cheek now a dark red.

"No…"

The leader's grin disperses, anger starting to grow in her expression.

"What was that?"

Hotaru raises her face, her expression one set in defiance, her greens eyes dark.

"I said No! Just because you threaten me…hit me…you think that I would give up so easily. I could care less! I care for Ikuto Tsukiyomi and none of you are to going to stop that. I don't care what you do to me but I love him!!"

By now, everything and everyone is quiet, as tears run soundlessly down Hotaru's face. The girl in charge becomes annoyed.

"Tch! You little-"

"Woooooo~"

All of the girl's look up at the weird sound.

"W-What was that?"

At their words, one by one, the stall door's slam shut. The trio jump in fear as they begin moving toward the door, Hotaru already forgotten.

"W-Who's there?"

Their only response is all of the toilet's flushing as the door's open once more only to slam again.

"Get out~"

The girl's shriek before running to the door, their hands fumbling with the lock before rushing out….

…to an angered Ikuto.

Hotaru sighs her relief as Yoru floats over. She raises her head before patting the guardian's head.

"Thanks Yoru."

Yoru only purrs, nudging his head into her hand.

"Nyaa!"

Hotaru giggles before beginning to stand when a hand gently helps her to her feet, their grip around her waist. Hotaru looks up shocked as she's placed on her feet, her eyes widening at the person.

"I-Ikuto-kun?!"

Ikuto remains nonchalant as he softly touches Hotaru's cheek.

"Does it hurt?"

Hotaru flinches a bit at his touch, her response causing him to frown a bit.

"When did you get here?"

"Just now."

Ikuto leans forward, his tongue running across Hotaru's cheek, her face turning red.

"Ikuto!!"

She tries to hide her face with her hands, her eyebrows furrowed.

'_Good…if he just got here then he didn't hear me…'_

Hotaru's eyes turn to the mirrors, her nose red from crying, her hair in disarray from the tugging. She sighs before walking over to grab a paper towel to wipe her face.

"Ugh…I look horrible…"

Ikuto is quiet as he watches her beginning to fix her hair before walking over. He swiftly tugs the ribbons out of her hands and hair, her locks cascading down her back.

"H-Hey!"

He turns her around gently, his hands adjusting the clips in her hair.

"There….now you don't."

He straightens up, a smirk on his face at Hotaru's flushed cheeks. He turns around, grabbing Hotaru's bag and the treats as he heads for the door.

"It also hides your hickey well."

Hotaru tilts her head in confusion before turning back to the mirror, her hand moving some of her hair aside to notice a dark red spot, the size of a dollar coin on her neck. Her eyes widen in shock as she blushes once more.

"Eh?!!??!"

Ikuto only smirks as Yoru chuckles.

* * *

**Author's Note: And there you have it. Hopefully I'll be able to get the next one up soon. Also, if you ever have any ideas, I'm all ears…..or well eyes. Lol Reviews make the world go round~!**


	7. The Chara is Out of the Egg

**Author's Note: Well, I did promise. Lol It honestly wasn't easy writing this part. Figuring how everything was going to go in this particular scene took awhile, but I got it down. Enjoy~!**

**Dedication: xxTocixMemoryxx : For seeing the light of OC's! Thanks for the review~!**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

**Disclaimer: Thought I'd throw this own. As much as I'd like to own Ikuto and his….sexy self, I do not, but Hotaru shall forever be mine! *evil laugh***

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* * *

  
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**Chapter 7: The Chara is Out of the Egg**

After the fiasco a few days ago, Hotaru was grateful that things had settled down. She was honestly surprised and when she pointed it out to Ikuto, he said he hadn't noticed. She sighs as she walks home from the grocery store, a few bags in her hands.

'Onii-chan wasn't happy about my coming home with a bruised cheek. It took forever to convince him that going down to the school was unnecessary.'

Hotaru looks up, having always walked the same path every day but today….music lead her astray. She watched the performers smile, instruments in hand, as they did their best to show off their skills. She looks down, realizing that she was always too nervous to ever perform like that. Her brother always said she had talent but she always became self-conscious and would choke before the few performances she was supposed to have.

'_I better get home. Onii-chan might be home tonight and I need to make dinner.'_

"I'm home."

Hotaru's emerald eyes scan the living room, not seeing any signs of her brother. Her eyes sadden a bit.

"Oh…of course he's not here."

Hotaru quickly places the bags down, heading upstairs to change out of her uniform so as not to get it dirty. Kia floats alongside her, a yawn escaping her lips.

"That was a great nap."

Hotaru giggles at her chara, lazy despite her ninja persona.

"Kia, are you sure that you're a ninja?"

Kia gasps in mock surprise, a hand to her heart for effect.

"Of course I am. What else would I be?"

After a few seconds of silence, laughter fills the air, Hotaru's dying quickly as she begins rummaging through her drawers. She finally spots a beige turtle neck sweater, pulling out a black pleated skirt to go with it. As she begins to unbutton her vest, Kia stops her. Hotaru raises an eyebrow.

"Kia, what's wrong?"

Kia points toward her balcony, Hotaru following her line of sight only to shriek a bit at her fake boyfriend standing outside of her clear door. She rushes over, a blush on her cheeks as she unlocks the sliding door.

"Ikuto, what're you doing here? How do you know where I live?"

Ikuto is about to speak but Yoru pipes in, glad to be speaking for his creator.

"I followed your scent here~! We wanted to come by~!"

"We..?"

Hotaru looks up at Ikuto, his expression stoic. After awhile, she smiles softly, a small blush on her cheeks.

"Well, if you're hungry, I'm actually about to cook. Would you like to join me?"

Yoru doesn't even answer as he rushes toward Kia, who is already heading downstairs. Hotaru steps aside to allow Ikuto inside, her heart beating fast just at the thought of him in her room. She mentally slaps herself, trying to push down the flush on her cheeks. Ikuto calmly walks in, as if he's done so before.

"So, who all lives here?"

Hotaru looks down sadly as she removes her vest, her feet taking her behind a paper screen.

"Well, technically just my older brother and I. Our parents are always abroad on business while supporting other business."

She laughs a bit at this, throwing her uniform on top of the screen as she pulls on the black skirt.

"I see…and your brother won't mind me joining you for dinner?"

At this, Hotaru hangs her head a bit, her brother's words echoing in her head. Her sadness is apparent in her voice.

"No….he's not here. He tends to work a lot. He's home maybe twice a week."

Ikuto's eyes widen at this, honestly shocked by this bit of information. Hotaru walks out from behind the screen, her hair flowing behind her, bangs pulled to the side since she is preparing to cook. Ikuto, unsure of what to say, changes the subject.

"So, what're you cooking?"

Hotaru smiles at this, actually a bit excited about cooking for Ikuto.

"Tuna Alfredo."

Ikuto nods his head, following her downstairs to the kitchen. As Ikuto takes a seat, Hotaru begins pulling the helper box out along with several other things needed. Hotaru is nimble on her feet, apron tied around her waist, a small tune escaping her mouth as she begins to cook. Ikuto is taken back a bit by the tune she sings, the song familiar to him for several reasons, but…he can't place his finger on it.

* * *

"Hotaru…"

Hotaru looks up from her desk, her mind having been on her next series of poems. Ikuto had sprawled himself out on her bed and she just couldn't work up the nerve to sit with him.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever entered choir or anything like that?"

"No, why?"

"Your singing earlier…."

He trails off, leaving Hotaru confused a bit.

'_Oh god, that's right! I was singing! I guess I'm used to singing in front of him…'_

After awhile, Ikuto sits up, his mind in thought. After awhile, he lies back down, his train of thought lost.

'_I almost had it… that girl….'_

Hotaru only remains quiet as she turns back to her writing, when a noise downstairs causes her to stiffen.

"Hotaru, I'm home!"

Hotaru's face is one of utter fear as she quickly runs to her door to lock it before pressing herself against it as she tries to think.

"Hotaru?"

Hotaru freezes at the knock at her bedroom door as Ikuto sits up, obviously curious by her actions.

"Y-Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes…I'll be out in a bit. I'm changing."

"Alright, I'll be downstairs."

It's when she can't hear her brother's footsteps anymore that she jumps onto her bed, her frail arms trying to get Ikuto up.

"Ikuto, you have to go! M-My brother would be so angry."

Her words are whispered and hurried. Ikuto, being himself, only pulls Hotaru against him, a smirk on his lips.

"Well, I guess the cat has to come out of the bag sometime. Sooner or later he was going to find out about our secret meetings."

Hotaru's face heats up as she squirms against Ikuto.

"S-Secret Meetings?! T-This is the f-first!"

Ikuto only chuckles as he gets up leaving a baffled Hotaru on the bed. He waves a hand as he heads toward her balcony, his legs easily lifting him towards the roof and out of her sight. Hotaru sighs her relief before quickly rushing downstairs, her brother already eating a bowl of helper.

"Hi Onii-chan! How was work?"

Her brother smiles sincerely at her.

"Oh, you know, the usual. How was your day?"

Hotaru inwardly sweats, a small hue on her cheeks.

"Oh, you know, the usual."

* * *

Hotaru is softly humming to herself as she goes down her usual pathway from school, time having flown by quickly while she was studying in the library. She turns her head to the performers not too far away, the urge to go over higher than usual. She stops, her eyes on everyone laughing and enjoying themselves. After awhile, she smiles a bit to herself, her feet crossing the street quickly, her bag in hand. She looks around at everyone, enjoying the different sounds, some better than others. As she starts bobbing her head to one of the songs, she stops, her ears catching a sound. She turns around, the sound a bit familiar to her.

'_Who is…?'_

She begins following the soft music, its tone incredibly lower than the others, but it's notes….they sound pained. After going through several crowded groups, she comes to a small pathway, the sound on the other end of it. Her feet carry her unconsciously towards it, her eyes widening at the realization of why it was familiar. Flashbacks of a young blue-haired boy run through her mind, the man he's grown into taking her breath away. His violin was soft, but more captivating than the other performers. She doesn't realize she's staring until Ikuto stops, having noticed her presence.

'_His violin….it's just as beautiful as I remember it….'_

"Ikuto-kun…that was beautiful…"

Ikuto doesn't answer, a bit grateful for the darkness as a small blush comes to his cheeks.

"You're better than a lot of those performers and yet you're all the way out here. Why?"

Ikuto turns his back to her, the moon cascading moonlight on them both.

"I don't play for people to hear me."

Hotaru notices his movements to put his instrument away, her words leaving her mouth as though someone is speaking for her.

"Wait, please….."

Ikuto slowly turns his head towards the girl, curiosity getting the best of him.

"….play another song."

Ikuto is quiet, his mind contemplating his answer when he remembers her singing from the other day. He raises his violin; bow in hand, as he turns to her.

"I will…but only if you sing along."

Hotaru is a bit confused by this, her hands wringing the handle of her bag as nervousness sets in a bit.

'_I don't sing in public….but…'_

She takes a small step forward.

'…_.I want to hear his violin once more.'_

She quickly looks around, her eyes spotting no others before she steps forward, her hand slowly raising to her throat.

"Alright…I'll start."

Hotaru is quiet for a second, her eyes closing as she takes a deep breath before beginning to sing wordless notes. Each note is soft, delicate, and bell-like, her song a soft lullaby. After hearing a few notes, the song a bit familiar to him, Ikuto begins to play along, their music melding together nicely as the moon illuminates them like a spotlight.

* * *

Amu was looking around, her mind in a frenzy from her missing eggs. She looks around at the performers, her fears a bit eased by all the hopeful people around her. She smiles to herself a bit, the upbeat songs forcing her to perk up when her ears catch a familiar voice.

'_I know that voice…and that lullaby…'_

She begins to follow the sound, each step causing another sound to come up.

'_If this is who I think it is….then who is playing with her…?'_

After getting through the throng of performers, the sound of the voice and instrument become clear. It's when she goes down another pathway that she finally spots who she's looking for. Amu's eyes widen at first, not expecting to see Hotaru and Ikuto together, but their music…it took Amu's breath away. She noticed the huge smile on Hotaru's face, her eyes widening a bit at the one on Ikuto's.

'_They seem to be enjoying themselves…'_

Amu remains silent as she walks closer, her body enthralled by the melody, the lullaby bringing back memories of when she first met Hotaru. After the song finishes, she begins clapping, the sound throwing the two off, not realizing they had gained an audience member. Hotaru's panicked expression quickly fades into relief after seeing the familiar pink hair.

"That was wonderful! It was…"

A small flush takes to Hotaru's cheeks at the praise, not entirely used to it.

"…wow….You two should play together more often. Your music is perfect when together."

Hotaru turns to Ikuto slowly, her mind agreeing with Amu's answer. She had believed so since their first meeting. Ikuto smirks at her, a playful glint in his eyes.

"I must admit that Amu is correct. My violin hasn't sounded this good since I was a child."

'…_when…that girl…'_

Hotaru's blush only darkens, the eyes on her making her withdraw a bit.

"T-Thank you…I must admit singing hasn't been this fun since** I** was a child."

Amu's eyes suddenly brighten.

"Why don't you play where the others are?"

Hotaru tenses up as Ikuto frowns.

"I don't play for others to listen."

Hotaru begins shuffling her feet a bit.

"…I-I'm not good at singing in front of others. You know that Amu."

Amu hangs her head a bit, saddened by their words.

"Yes, but…You two are so good. Don't you dream of becoming famous with your talent?"

Hotaru looks away, unsure of how to answer when Ikuto butts in.

"…You are a kid."

Both girls look up at him, Amu shocked beyond words…

…for awhile at least.

"Age has nothing to do with it. If you have a dream, you should go for it no matter what."

Hotaru is bit in awe at Amu's boldness.

"Why do you two do what you do?!"

She turns to Ikuto.

"Why do you play an instrument?"

She quickly turns her head to Hotaru.

"Why do you sing?"

All is quiet as Hotaru looks down before turning her attention to the man next to her, her answer in her eyes. She smiles a bit before turning to Amu.

"Because…."

"…we're kids as well."

Amu is a bit surprised by their words, her golden eyes sparkling.

"So….are you going to play again?"

Hotaru becomes a bit flustered, ready to spew an excuse when Ikuto cuts her off.

"Only if Hotaru-chan sings."

Hotaru turns to him, an exasperated look on her face.

_'He just used a familiar term in front of Amu! Wait, he's pinning this on me?!'_

Her eyes turn back to Amu, only to find an eager expression on the young girl. She sighs inwardly before smiling softly.

"Alright…."

Hotaru begins singing a soft song, one she learned from Ikuto when they first met. The beat, is quick, the notes upbeat. Amu sits down, enthralled by the sounds, joy apparent. Hotaru begins dancing a bit, turning her eyes to Ikuto every once in awhile, his eyes on her. She blushes deeply. Amu is watching them closely, their silent exchanges not going unnoticed to her eyes. She smiles a bit to herself.

_'Ah…so this must be the one Hotaru likes, but…'_

She frowns a bit.

_'…I wonder if she knows…'_

Amu sadly recalls the incident with Ikuto not too long ago when he had destroyed the X egg. She was not too pleased with him still, but…She looks up at Hotaru's smile, her radiance glowing.

_'….She loves him…'_

"AAaaahhhhh!!!"

"Wwaaahhhhh!!"

All three stop at the screams, chills running down Hotaru's spine at the sound.

"What's going on over there?"

Amu quickly gets to her feet, determination set in her features. She turns to Hotaru.

"Let's go check it out!"

Hotaru only nods her head, running off after the young girl, her ponytail billowing behind her. Ikuto follows pursuit, for reasons he wasn't even aware of. As they reach the place of the other performers, the sight before them causes them to gasp in shock. Hotaru looks around worriedly.

"What happened here?"

Amu frowns as she spots the culprit, anger set in her features. Ikuto is no different.

"Hmmm…no sign of the embryo."

Amu's eyes widen in shock as she sees the face of her enemy.

"N-Nikaidou-sensei?!"

At the name, Hotaru visibly stiffens, her attention having been on the helpless people. She slowly raises her head, dread making her blood run cold as she spots the cause of the chaos. Amu continues yelling.

"You're a member of Easter?! Then you're the reason why so many X eggs have been appearing!"

"You're a little slow to catch on, aren't you Himamori-san?"

Nikaidou raises his hand, Hotaru's eyes widening in what he possesses, sweat running down her face. Amu's face becomes worried.

"Ann! Miki! Suu!"

"Why…?"

All turn to Hotaru, Nikaidou's eyes widening a bit in shock for Ikuto had moved her behind him. Hotaru steps forward in front of everyone, tears threatening to spill over.

"Why're you doing this Onii-chan?!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Mwahahahahaha~! And the truth is out! Ta-dah! So, tell me what you think, hope you enjoy~! Also, what I meant by the ideas thing is see, I'm going by the manga, and apparently, from what I've heard, there are several scenarios that only happen in the anime, so if you know one in particular that I should switch around and add, let me know. Thanks~!**


	8. When the Dream becomes A Nightmare

**Author's Note: So goes up the next chapter and I am proud to say that this one was typed on my own laptop~! Yay! So excited! So, from now on, the only thing holding me back is my leg and work….and occasionally writer's block. This is my christmas gift to you guys. Hope you enjoy~!**

_**Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!**_

**Dedication:To my lovely reviewers this time, whom are: xXYoraXx and Carlaivy, and of course those who added my story to their favorites and alerts. I love you guys~**

**Rating: T**

**Disclaimer: Hotaru is mine…the idea to switch things around for her was mine….Shugo Chara, not so much**.

**Chapter 8: When the Dream becomes A Nightmare**

* * *

All is quiet, all eyes on the crying girl. After a minute or so, Nikaidou's sinister smirk appears on his face once more. He shakes his head, as if scolding his sister.

"Oh Hotaru…I see that you've disobeyed me. I thought that you of all people would listen to me…but it's too late now. My secret is out."

He raises his hand, his fingers snapping, a few X eggs appearing at his command. They begin heading straight toward Hotaru, her mind and body numb from the horrible realization.

"So I no longer have to hide my true intentions!"

Tears continue to spill from Hotaru's eyes as her heart continues to break.

"Onii-chan…"

"Hotaru!"

Ikuto quickly rushes forward, his arms wrapping around her tiny waist as he pulls her out of the way, the attack barely missing her head. Hotaru's eyes are distant, dark, as Amu rushes over to her side. Amu turns to her so-called teacher with anger in her eyes.

"You're her brother!! Why would you attack her?!"

Nikaidou raises an eyebrow as if asked a stupid question.

"Her being my sister is of no importance to me. My only job right now is to collect X eggs."

Ikuto's anger increases as he feels Hotaru's body stiffen at her brother's harsh words.

"I've never heard anything of you having to collect a bunch of X eggs!"

Nikaidou tilts his head, his curiosity peaked.

"Are you switching sides Ikuto? Surely not you. You're Easter's 'Puppet' after all."

The words echo in Hotaru's ears, her tears doubling.

'_Ikuto is…?'_

Hotaru raises her head at Amu's yell, the sound of a car engine distant.

"No!"

It's at Amu's defeated expression that Hotaru snaps out of her reverie, her eyes cold and distant. Ikuto looks down at the frail girl in his arms.

"Hotaru?"

Hotaru stands up suddenly, her body shrugging off Ikuto's arms. She slowly walks over to Amu, her mind trying to take in everything.

"Amu…let's go…"

Amu only nods her head as they begin to head toward her house, Ikuto's hand outstretched a bit toward Hotaru's retreating back, his mind unsure of how to get her to come back.

* * *

Hotaru is sitting in class, her pencil resting numbly in her hand, a little tap sounding out of it every few seconds. She sighs deeply, her eyes staring out at the vast blue sky.

'_What do I do? Having to avoid Ikuto like this…it's…'_

She sighs again, her eyes averting downwards.

'…_frustrating…'_

The bell rings suddenly, signaling that lunch has started. She slowly gathers her things, her mind in it's own world when suddenly someone roughly pushes her into a desk. A small shriek escapes her lips as she topples over the desk, a small whine sounding from her mouth as the object lands on her. She struggles to sit up, small scratches on her face, a great stinging sensation emitting from her side and legs. Laughter erupts from several students as they continue walking out, none bothering to help. She sighs tiredly as she fixes the desk and heads out, her leg limping slightly.

Ikuto is sitting in the courtyard, his eyes looking for a certain girl. He knew she was avoiding him this morning but he was determined to find her. He needed to talk to her. He wait's a few more minutes before standing up and beginning to scour the school. His feet lead him down several hallways before finding Hotaru at her locker, her body shaking for some reason. He quietly walks up to her, grateful for his cat like skills, to only notice several things with each step.

'_She has scratches? What…?'_

His ears pick up a sob and that's when his heart clenches a bit. He frowns a bit at his body's reaction, his mind shrugging it off. It's when he's finally behind her that he decides to make his presence known.

"Yo."

Hotaru jumps slightly, not having heard Ikuto's footsteps earlier. She turns her head slowly, her face void of any emotion. Her mind is racing for something to say, not having prepared anything for this situation. She smiles nervously, a bead of sweat running down her brow.

"H-Hi….Ikuto…"

Ikuto frowns a bit, his ears having picked up the lack of suffix.

"Wrong."

Hotaru stops, her eyes confused.

"H-Huh?"

"Wrong…"

He quickly traps her between his arms as he places them on the locker next to her own. Her eyes widen at their proximity, her face a deep red.

"I-Ikuto, what're you-"

"….Why are you avoiding me?"

Hotaru pauses at this, not having expected him to be so blunt. She quickly makes up an excuse.

"I w-wasn't avoiding you. I had to do a p-project so…."

Ikuto doesn't respond, knowing full well that she was lying through her teeth but he was unsure of what to do to point it out. He slowly looks up, his eyes locking with hers as one of his hands brushes her long bangs to the side. Hotaru's heart quickens at the contact. He slowly begins to lean toward her, Hotaru's mind fighting her.

'_Stop him! Stop him!! He's our enemy!'_

Hotaru gulps audibly.

'…_I can't…'_

It's when Ikuto's only a few centimeters away, her lips tingling at the feeling of his breath on hers, that a voice interrupts their trance.

"Hey, back away Romeo! Do that after school!"

Ikuto raises his head, the urge to kiss Hotaru just to be stubborn strong but Hotaru sneaks away, her arms beginning to hug herself as she heads down the hallway. The teacher only shakes his head slightly before entering a classroom. It's when the door shuts that Ikuto returns his attention to Hotaru who is currently turning the corner. He slams her locker closed before running after her.

"Hotaru!"

Tears threaten to spill down Hotaru's face as she runs by a few bewildered students.

"No, Ikuto, leave me alone!"

Ikuto turns the corner, his long strides helping him gain in on Hotaru. Hotaru looks behind a bit just as her legs give out, a sharp pain shooting through her leg.

"Ahh!"

She falls to the ground, her frail hands on her burning leg, her teeth biting her lower lip in order to prevent herself from yelling. Ikuto slows down, his eyes on the newly formed bruises on her legs, his mind only imagining that she might have more. He sighs a bit, quickly picking her up in his arms. Hotaru begins to struggle but the pain quickly halts that action. She buries her face into Ikuto's shirt, her anger causing her to cry a bit.

"Why did you chase me?"

Despite the mumbled question, his ears picked up every word. He sighs, not really knowing that answer himself. Ikuto was starting to get frustrated with all of these unanswered questions when it came to Hotaru.

'_Why is this happening…?'_

He reaches the nurse's office, Ikuto not even noticing that the nurse was not present. He slowly lowers her onto the closest bed, his gaze intense.

"Hotaru…about yesterday…"

Hotaru quickly looks away, her lip caught between her teeth once more.

"I-I know…You're part of Easter…"

She lowers her head even more, a few tears falling into the mattress below.

"…we can't…I can't pretend to be your girlfriend anymore…"

Ikuto's eyes widen at this.

"Look, Hotaru, that's-"

"Is someone in here?"

Both look up, the nurse watching them both, a warm cup of coffee in her hand. Her eyes inspect Ikuto a bit before turning her attention to the injured girl in the bed. She gasps, quickly placing her mug down before rushing over.

"Are you alright? What happened?!"

The nurse looks up at Ikuto, her smile genuine.

"I'll take care of her. You can return to class."

Ikuto is about to make a retort when Hotaru cuts him off, her words sharp.

"She's right. You're not needed."

All is quiet, Ikuto's expression void of any emotion as Hotaru's is hidden behind her lavender locks. After awhile, Ikuto turns without another word, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the small space. It's when the door closes that Hotaru's control over her tears breaks, the sobs escaping her small body as she tries to stop them. The nurse becomes worried, her arms wrapped around the young girl.

"What hurts sweetie? What happened?"

Hotaru only manages to cry more.

* * *

"You're free to make yourself at home Hotaru, you know that."

Hotaru smiles softly at Mrs. Hinamori, her kindness always relaxing her. At the moment, she was wearing nice fitting blue jeans, a soft turtle-neck sweater covering her black tank top.

"Thank Hinamori-san. I appreciate it."

After school had ended she had character changed with Kia to sneak into her room and take a suitcase of essentials and clothes. She didn't want to be home after what happened so she had decided to stay over at Amu's house. Her legs were wrapped with bandages under her jeans, the pain having subsided.

"Amu is in her room. I'm sure she'll be excited about you staying the night."

Hotaru forces a smile, her eyes deep in sadness.

"Alright."

She begins heading up the stairs, Kia full on her trail.

"Hotaru…are you going to tell me what happened at school today while I napped? Why were you in the nurse's office?"

Hotaru stares off, her mind recalling today's incidents. She turns to Kia with an apologetic expression.

"I'll tell you later Kia. I don't want to worry Amu right now."

Kia only nods her head, knowing that this wasn't the time to force Hotaru to spill. Some secrets were meant to be kept. Hotaru lightly raps on Amu's bedroom door, suitcase in hand, smile intact.

"Coming."

Amu's expression is bewilderment at first before joy takes over.

"Hotaru! What're you doing here?"

Hotaru raises her suitcase slightly to bring attention to it, her smile going down a bit.

"Well…I don't really feel like staying at home right now. I can't believe what Onii-chan was doing…nor can I support it, so here I am."

Amu smiles kindly, her mind having been rattled with thoughts of Hotaru's condition previously. She steps aside to allow Hotaru inside.

"I understand. Just set up like usual."

Hotaru nods her thanks as she begins to set down her things, her hands untying the knot holding the sleeping bag. As she starts to unroll the bag, her thoughts continue to bounce around in her head.

'_I don't understand….how..? Why is this happening?'_

She stops when she spots a pair of eyes on her. Hotaru blinks a bit, her chara watching her diligently.

"Hotaru-chan, what's on your mind? Your thoughts seem to be elsewhere."

Hotaru sighs a bit, her shoulders sagging as if weighed down.

"Yes well…a lot has happened that…I'm not sure how to react."

"Don't worry. I'm sure everything will turn out alright."

Hotaru looks up, Amu's smile warm and comforting. Hotaru can only smile back as she nods her head meekly.

"I'm sorry Amu. Here I am being depressed when you've got problems of your own."

She stands up, her arms encasing Amu into a hug, the comfort more for her own sake than Amu's.

"I promise…I'll help you in any way I can to get your charas back."

* * *

**So that's that. Let me know what you guys think. Happy Holidays everyone~! Also, good news. I know it's a bit early but I had an idea for the sequel already and I've written out the first chap. If I get at least 5 people who want to read the first chap, give me some insight, I'll gladly post it up, but be cautious because I won't post the rest until this story is done. he he ^-^**


	9. Wild Egg Chase

**Author's Note: So begins another chapter. Lol I'm hoping that everyone who has been reading so far as enjoyed what I've done. Still waiting on people requesting a sneak peek at the sequel that I've started. Love ya guys~!**

**Dedication: Carlaivy, whom reviewed in the short time between posts and because her reviews make my day brighter. I love Ya!**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 9: Wild Egg Chase**

Hotaru sighs deeply, the day having gone by slowly. Her bruises had caused her to stay up throughout the night in pain, causing Amu and Mrs. Hinamori to insist that she stay home from school. Hotaru only agreed in the end because she was afraid to face Ikuto. Hotaru flinches a bit at remembering the look on his face the day before.

'_He's angry…'_

She knew that for sure. She walks over to the balcony, her summer dress billowing from the passing breezes. She frowns at the bandages encasing her legs, the sight making her cringe. Amu had not been happy when she saw them and it ended up with receiving a lecture from the 6th grader. Kia sits on the railing, looking up at her creator, Hotaru's 2nd egg hanging around her neck from a makeshift necklace.

"Hotaru…you miss him don't you?"

Hotaru looks down in shock, her lavender locks floating around her playfully. She frowns.

"O-Of course not! How could I? He's part of Easter!"

Kia's eyebrows furrow worriedly as she floats up to Hotaru's face.

"Yes, but…you didn't know that when you became his fake girlfriend…and I doubt it would've stopped you from falling in love with him. Am I right?"

Hotaru looks down, her anger apparent, the conflict in her heart tearing her up inside.

"It doesn't matter….He hurt Amu. She's like my little sister, I can't love someone who does things like that. It's…"

She sighs, her forehead pressing to the railing, the cool sensation of the bar calming her a bit.

"….it doesn't matter."

"Hotaru!"

Hotaru turns around in time to see Amu run in, her expression quickly becoming one of mellowness.

"What's wrong Amu?"

Amu struggles to regain her breath as she begins to lead Hotaru downstairs, sweat running down the poor girl's features.

"We think…We think we might have a way to find my eggs."

Hotaru perks up at the news, ready to help for any reason. She begins to walk ahead of Amu as she slips on her sandals. She smiles happily, Kia now sitting on her shoulder.

"Then let's hurry, c'mon~!"

* * *

"So…who exactly are we looking for?"

Amu's eyes continue to scan the crowd, her golden eyes quickly moving back and forth.

"We're not sure yet, but the others said they had an idea."

Hotaru raises an eyebrow, her doubt beginning to rise a bit.

"Alright…let's hope it works."

Amu only nods her head before lighting up suddenly. Hotaru follows her line of sight to see four kids wearing uniforms that were similar to Amu's. They walk over, Hotaru's hand gripped tightly in Amu's, one of the four spotting them and waving happily.

"Amu-chan! There you are."

"Ah, so this is who Amu went to retrieve."

"She seems shy."

"Hinamori-san, may I ask who this is?"

Amu raises a hand toward Hotaru in introduction.

"This is Hotaru. She's been my babysitter a few times and is a good person. I feel like she should come along."

Hotaru notices the young girl with pigtails point toward her shoulder happily, sparkles evident in the girl's eyes.

"Oh wow, she has chara too!"

The others turn their attention to the little ninja who has actually begun to bow. The brown haired boy is the first to speak up.

"Oh, wow! A ninja! That is awesome!"

Nadeshiko steps forward, her ponytail waving behind her gracefully. Hotaru seethes a bit, a bit jealous of the girl's graceful posture.

"It is good to see you again Hotaru-san."

Hotaru nods her head a bit, a smile on her face as she pushes her bangs out of her face.

"Ditto Nadeshiko-chan."

Amu turns to Hotaru as she captures the girl's attention.

"Hotaru, this is Kukai…"

Kukai winks at her, his fingers giving a bit of a salute.

"….Yaya…."

Yaya giggles cutely, her pigtails bouncing as she waves happily.

"…and Tadase."

It's when Amu mentions the name of the young blonde-haired boy that a light bulb clicks in her mind.

'_Tadase? As in Amu's Tadase?'_

The young boy smiles at her, and Hotaru can swear that he's sparkling.

"It's very nice to meet you Hotaru-san."

A slight blush encases her cheeks as she unconsciously smiles back, her head looking down guiltily.

'_I think I can understand why Amu likes him so much…he's adorable…'_

Hotaru returns her attention after recovering and smiles widely.

"The pleasure is mine."

"So, Hotaru-chan…"

Hotaru turns toward Kukai, her mind not even having registered the suffix added to her name already.

"Do you know why Amu brought you along?"

Hotaru smiles softly as she turns to Amu, her eyes soft and kind. A few passing people actually blush at the soft girl's kind look of affection, not even noticing that they're staring.

"Because my br-"

"Because she promised to help me recover my eggs. Hotaru is always looking out for me. She's like my big sister."

Hotaru is a bit shocked at Amu's sudden intrusion but decides against finishing her statement.

'_Maybe it's best that they don't know that my brother is part of Easter….'_

Hotaru's head hangs a bit at remembering her brother's actions, the memories causing her heart to clench tightly.

"Hotaru-san?"

Hotaru looks up suddenly, Nadeshiko's concerned expression giving her a bit of relief. She smiles reassuringly.

"So, everyone ready?"

All nod their heads quickly. Hotaru begins to wander off unconsciously as Amu and the others begin debating on where to look. Kia follows her master, her concern for Hotaru high.

"Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru sighs deeply once more, a sign to Kia that she's listening.

"Kia…I don't know what to do. Every time I think about what my Onii-chan is doing…it hurts…"

Hotaru shakes her head dejectedly, her loose, low ponytail swaying with her actions.

"You!"

Hotaru looks up suddenly, not having realized that she was standing in an alleyway. She turns to the source of the outburst, her eyes widening in shock at seeing the pop idol, Utau Hoshina. The scowl on the singer's face causes her to step back a bit.

"U-Uh, yes?"

"You're the girl that Ikuto is pretending to date!"

"Y-yes?"

Hotaru instantly regrets her words as she senses the killer aura from the girl before her.

'_Oh…she doesn't seem to like me too well. She probably cares for Ikuto as well…'_

"I won't lose to you! Ikuto has no interest in anyone, so don't even think that you're current role gives you an edge. He doesn't love you!"

Utau's words stab at Hotaru's heart, her breathing faltering a bit as she realizes that she's right.

'_Ikuto doesn't love me…I'm only by him to keep the fan girls at bay.'_

Hotaru is quiet, an awkward silence filling the air when suddenly the ribbon holding her hair back transforms into a crescent moon.

"So…that doesn't stop me from caring about him. Whether I'm fake or not, I treasure the times I spend with Ikuto-kun. Nothing you do or say will change that."

Hotaru watches the shocked expression on Utau's face, her body actually flinching as if struck by some invisible hand. After awhile, she frowns a bit at the ground, the girl obviously at a loss for words. Small footsteps gradually come closer before a shocked exchange is heard.

"Amu Hinamori?!"

"Utau Hoshina?!"

Hotaru stays in the background as the two talk it out, her ears picking up a few essential words here and there. It's when Utau becomes curious about Amu's dismay and situation that she decides to tune in more.

"Actually…"

Hotaru is quiet as Amu explains the situation, Utau's face one of no emotion. Hotaru flinches as Amu comes to her brother's betrayal, the memory not pleasant. After the explanation, Utau puts a hand to her chin in thought, her mind working to figure out this mystery.

"Nikaidou-san is taking a big risk…"

Hotaru's eyebrow raises delicately, a frown settling upon her face.

"You know Onii-chan?"

Utau turns to her, her reaction now like Hotaru's.

"Onii-chan? Nikaidou-san is your older brother?"

Hotaru looks down meekly before slowly nodding her head, her eyes beginning to water up a bit.

"Yes…he is….but…"

Her eyes close, her thoughts of happier times with the brother she trusted.

"…I don't know what to think anymore. So…How do you know Onii-chan?"

Utau turns her head as if looking around at the activities going on around them.

"You could say that…In Easter, there's more than one group trying to obtain the embryo. Your brother and my manager are competing to find it first. Whoever does is most likely to gain a big promotion."

Amu's eyes widen a bit, her mind in shock a bit.

"…Promotion…?"

Utau sighs, a bit annoyed at this point.

"The Embryo can grant any wish, right? I don't understand why they just don't grant their own wish, but then again I don't know what they're thinking. I guess money means more than hopes and dreams."

Utau then turns to Amu, a sincere look in her eyes.

"I don't like Nikaidou-san's methods though…towards a little kid like you…and abandoning his sister the way he has….I won't do things like that."

Her eyes harden.

"You'll see….I won't use tricks like that to gain the Embryo. I'll find it on my own and save Ikuto from Easter by myself."

Hotaru's eyes widen slightly, her heart racing at the words that just entered her ears.

"Save…? Ikuto-kun…?"

Utau sets her glare at Hotaru, her jealously evident once more.

"Don't say his name like you're close. You're only a fake girlfriend, remember that! I won't lose to you!"

Hotaru smirks a bit, her courage rising once more.

'_That's right…I can't give up. Not when Onii-chan is doing things that are wrong.'_

"I won't lose either!"

Amu nods her head, her head waving toward the two of them.

"We don't like seeing X's on people's heart eggs. It's wrong. We'll save them, all of them!"

All is quiet for awhile before screeching tires tear through the air. Hotaru and Amu jump back just in time for a van to halt before them, heads popping out the side of the window.

"There you guys are!"

"We've been looking for you!"

"Get in, we have a way to find your eggs now Amu-chan!"

Hotaru peeks her head in a bit, her eyes shocked by who she sees.

"Nobuko Saeki?"

Tadase nods his head, his golden hair shining brightly from the sun's rays.

"Yes. Miss. Saeki agreed to help us. We believe her to be a very accurate radar."

Amu's look gives away her thoughts of doubt, her mouth muttering a bit.

"The fake fortune teller? Are you sure?"

Saeki turns around, an aggravated expression on her face.

"Fake?! That's a bit harsh."

Kukai waves his arm to signal around the bus.

"We'll explain later, c'mon!"

"Alright."

As they start to get aboard, a voice cuts them off.

"Wait!"

They both turn around, the singer obviously determined.

"I'm coming too. Though I work for Easter I cannot support what Nikaidou-san is doing."

Hotaru is in slight awe, her eyes glowing a bit in admiration.

'_Wow…despite everything…'_

Hotaru smiles a bit as they get on the van, her hope starting to rise.

'_Utau is a good person deep down…'_

* * *

The drive is…

…not exactly what Hotaru pictured. For a majority of the ride, her hands were gripping the seat she was in tightly, her heart pounding in her chest in fear.

"Red light! That's a red light!"

"AAaaaahhhhhh!"

Hotaru's eyes were scrunched closed, not wanting to even see her death coming.

"That's another red light! Do you even know how to drive?!"

"No! I'm only doing this because that beautiful boy there asked me!!"

Everyone turns to Tadase worriedly, their faces pale. Their eyes follow him as he walks to Saeki's side, his smile still intact.

"I'm sure you're taking us in the right direction. You're driving is very good as well."

"O-oh…thank you…"

"Tadase!!"

"That's a corner! What're you doing?!"

"Dead end! Hit the brakes!"

Hotaru spots that they might crash, her voice a bit high pitched as she yells.

"Stairs! Stop, stop!"

Another screech of brakes as they halt on the stairwell, the only sound evident is everyone's heavy breathing. Hotaru holds a hand to her chest, her mind willing her heart to calm down.

"Are we there?!"

"We're…here…"

"Thank you Miss. Saeki."

Amu suddenly stands up, her finger pointing at a silhouette.

"That's…!"

* * *

**Author's Note: And I'll stop there for now, though I'm sure those who read the manga know what happens. Lol Anyways, I'll be sure to update as soon as possible~! Thank you guys for reading. Remember that reviews make my heart smile~!**


	10. What's Behind the Cheshire's Smile?

**Author's Note: So begins the next chapter, and might I add, a good one. For those who have been worried, don't worry, Hotaru and Ikuto 'get back' together in this one. Lol On another note, there was some confusion as to which picture was Hotaru, so let me clear it up. Don't worry, it's not my avatar. I have a link on my profile that if you copy and paste in the search bar, should lead you straight to my drawing. Once again, I do take requests for those who want certain scenes drawn out between Hotaru and Ikuto. ^-^**

**Rating: T, once again for those who didn't know.**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

**Dedication: This chapter is dedicated solely to my new reader, DarkLozFanUberest who has lovingly reviewed quite a few of my chapters after discovering my story. I have to say I have loved each one and hope that they continue reading. Oh, Kuryo also. Lol I hope ya'll enjoy.**

_-Previously-_

_Another screech of brakes as they halt on the stairwell, the only sound evident is everyone's heavy breathing. Hotaru holds a hand to her chest, her mind willing her heart to calm down._

"_Are we there?"_

"_We're…here…"_

"_Thank you Miss. Saeki."_

_Amu suddenly stands up, her finger pointing at a silhouette. _

"_That's…!"_

* * *

**Chapter 10: What's Behind The Cheshire's Smile?**

"-Nikaidou-san!"

Everyone rushes out of the van, only one left behind in shock. Hotaru watches her brother a bit longer before rushing out as fast as she can, her feet stumbling a bit from her injuries. She stops behind Amu, anger set deep within her emerald eyes.

"Return Amu's eggs, Onii-chan!"

Nikaidou only smiles teasingly as he waves a suitcase in front of them, his initial shock of them finding him having passed.

"I don't think so. I need these for an experiment."

Utau steps forward this time, her annoyance evident.

"Nikaidou-san, what're you planning?"

Nikaidou turns to the singer, a bewildered expression in his features.

"It shouldn't be of your concern really. You collect X eggs your way and I'll do it my way."

Utau becomes angered, her violet eyes brimming with energy.

"I think you've reached a new low. I would never try to take advantage of the weak!"

Amu becomes confused, a sweat drop running down her face.

"Weak? Is she talking about me?"

"I never thought I would see you on the other side Utau."

A small gasp escapes Utau's lips as the feminine voice halts the argument. A business-like woman appears, her long fingers adjusting the frames on the bridge of her nose.

"Manager…."

Everyone turns to Utau in shock.

"Manager?"

Hotaru's thoughts begin to race through her mind, her heartbeat thumping in her ears.

"Really Utau….Do you know how hard it was to schedule that interview and then you take off without warning."

Utau looks down in shame, as if the ground will hopefully swallow her. Utau's manager adjusts her bangs with a few flicks of her wrist, her eyes starting to narrow in on the girl with lavender hair.

'_Why does she look familiar?'_

Hotaru's fists are clenched tightly, her knuckles white from lack of blood.

'_Yukari-san….she was in on it too? What else do I not know of?'_

"Now, Utau, stop this foolishness and take care of these brats please."

Everyone then turns their attention to the pop idol, Utau's head hanging in despair before turning around, her back now to Nikaidou and her manager. Yaya gasps out loud as Kukai growls a bit in anger. Amu steps forward, her stance wary.

"What're you doing Utau? I thought that you were against dirty tricks!"

Utau is quiet before suddenly Character Transforming. It's Tadase that speaks the thoughts of everyone.

"She can Character Transform?"

Utau suddenly attacks, violet butterflies flying in every direction. Everyone tries to duck in some way but it's Hotaru who stands strong, Kia beginning to give off a glow. Amu notices her Humpty Lock giving off a glow as well.

"Eh? What's going on?"

Hotaru closes her eyes, her body seeming to know what to do in the situation as Kia returns to her egg. Hotaru's body floats a bit, her whole figure giving off a soft glow before her clothes suddenly transform. As she gets back on her feet, everyone stares in awe at her attire.

"She…"

"…Character Transformed!"

Hotaru's hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail by bandages. Her upper body is barely covered by a shirt that cuts off under her breasts, the fabric clinging to her, netting flowing from underneath, the sleeves reaching her elbows. On her lower half is a split skirt, netting on her legs as well, the right ending at her knee while her left has a separate piece of it's own on her calf. Obi socks adorn her feet, simple straw sandals on them, pouches on her right leg and on the back of her hip. Hotaru inspects herself, a little bit thrown back by everything.

"Oh wow…what happened?"

After taking note of her appearance, she turns her attention to Utau. She reaches into the pouch on her leg only to pull out a kunai dagger. Her legs reposition themselves, her body showing she's obviously ready to attack. Utau growls in frustration before aiming an attack in her direction while the others begin to Character Change. Hotaru rushes forward, her speed having increased, kunai ready.

"Why are you doing this Utau?"

Utau frowns before dodging a swipe of Hotaru's blade.

"Because…it's for Ikuto…"

Utau swipes at Hotaru's face but she nimbly leans back, her body easily flowing into a backwards flip.

"What do you mean? How is this for Ikuto?"

Utau rushes forward, her blonde pigtails flowing behind her.

"Everything is for Ikuto! I don't care what happens to me as long as Ikuto finds happiness!"

Hotaru stops, Utau's words having caused her to freeze.

'_Everything is for Ikuto…? Is he not happy?'_

"Hotaru, look out!"

Hotaru doesn't dodge in time as Utau aims another beam at her. Hotaru's arms cover her face instinctively but the attack pushes her onto the ground. Hotaru's breathes are heavy with exhaustion, her body not used to Character Transforming, as she struggles to her feet.

"I never asked you to do anything."

Everyone looks up, obviously surprised by the newcomer. Hotaru's eyes widen.

"I-Ikuto-kun…." She whispers to herself.

Ikuto jumps down from his post, his feet landing softly on the ground. Tadase growls in anger, his glare enough to show his distaste for the cat. Ikuto only smirks as Utau is frozen mid-stance.

"I-Ikuto…."

A groan is heard, Hotaru's attention now on Utau's manager. She raises an eyebrow in confusion, her defense stance dropped.

"This isn't good…"

Nikaidou turns to her, his curiosity obvious now.

"What do you mean?"

"She hasn't seen Ikuto in awhile what with her recording her new album so…"

As she trails off, Utau dashes toward Ikuto, her Chara appearing out of nowhere, her transformation disappearing.

"Ikuto~!"

She wraps her arms around his neck, her face burying into his shoulder, an annoyed expression on his features.

"I can't move Utau. Let go."

Hotaru gulps audibly as she relaxes, her breathes heavy as Kia appears as well, her clothes returning to normal.

"But I haven't seen you in so long~!"

Nikaidou chuckles a bit as Yukari begins to turn away. Ikuto then turns his attention to Amu and her friends, Hotaru noting how his eyes pass over her easily.

"C'mon Utau, we have work to do."

Utau turns to Ikuto and grudgingly releases him, her eyes glaring at Hotaru as she leaves. Ikuto turns his attention to Nikaidou. He raises his eyebrow questioningly, obviously looking for an answer from the scientist.

"Why don't you play with the kids Ikuto? I'm sure Easter would love for you to prove your loyalty."

Tadase and Hotaru step forward, their eyes brimming with anger.

"You're not going anywhere with Amu's eggs!"

"You will not stand in our way Ikuto Tsukiyomi!"

Ikuto takes note of the briefcase in Nikaidou's hand as the deranged man begins to walk away. Amu yells, her hope beginning to dissipate.

"No!"

At this, Tadase steps forward, his king scepter in his hand.

"Hold it! Holy crown!"

Tadase aims his attack at Ikuto, cat ears appearing on the blue haired teen. He jumps out of the way, a smirk on his face. Tadase growls in anger as Hotaru transforms once more, her legs carrying her towards her brother.

"Stop Onii-chan!"

"C'mon, Ikuto, take me seriously!"

Ikuto's smirk only widens as he dodges another attack.

"I don't even need to Character Transform to fight you."

As Hotaru nears her brother, she pulls a kunai out, the sharp object shining, revealing it's sharp edge. Nikaidou notices this and only grins as he snaps his fingers, X eggs beckoning at his order. He waves his hand forward, the eggs flying in Hotaru's direction. She gasps as she dodges them, the distance growing considerably between her and her brother.

"Stop!"

As Hotaru blocks a blow from the eggs, Ikuto's attention turns to Hotaru's brother. He avoids another of Tadase's attacks, his foot hitting the case in Nikaidou's hand.

"No!"

Amu notices her eggs falling out of the briefcase, Ran managing to escape her prison. She turns to Amu hurriedly.

"Amu-chan!"

Amu nods her head as she dashes forward, the other two eggs falling toward the ground. Wings appear on Amu's ankles and wrists. She jumps forward, her hands managing to grab a hold of the blue spade egg. Kukai steps forward, his fist raised in triumph.

"Nice catch!"

Ikuto sticks out his tongue, his apology full of sarcasm.

"Sorry…My foot slipped."

Nikaidou recovers quickly though, managing to grab a hold of the last one, a shriek of fear escaping the small container. Amu gasps.

"Suu, no!"

Nikaidou replaces the egg in his case, his disarrayed hair blowing slightly in the wind.

"It doesn't matter, I only need one anyways for my recipe."

Yaya's eyes become concerned as she begins to freak out.

"Recipe? As in, you'll cook the egg?"

"You could say that…"

Amu growls in anger as she rushes toward Nikaidou.

"You're such a coward! Using such tactics like this!"

At the girl's words, Nikaidou becomes annoyed. His hand shoots out, grabbing a hold of Amu's tie, pulling her close, his voice only a whisper.

"You have courage Himamori. Fine, I'll give you a chance. If you're as courageous as you think you are, come by my lab for a challenge."

"Fine."

At Amu's agreement, Nikaidou pushes her back, his smirk wide and dark.

"Amu-chan, are you okay?"

"Amu-chan!"

Amu shrugs off their worries by smiling at them, trying to ease their minds.

"I'm fine."

Nadeshiko steps forward, her yell one of despair.

"He's getting away!"

Before anyone can rush forward to stop the Easter associate, the X eggs return, Hotaru barely managing to side swipe the attack. Hotaru gasps as her brother disappears, her attention not on him long before another attack is sent. Hotaru prepares herself for it, only to realize that it's not headed for her, but for an unsuspecting Amu.

"Amu, look out!"

Hotaru manages to pull Amu out of the way in time, the eggs easily making a quick turn. Hotaru notices and tightens her grip on the girl behind her, bracing herself for the hit but it never comes. Eyes opening warily, a small shocked gasp escapes her. There, standing quietly, is none other than Ikuto. The others hold their position, unsure of the cat's intentions. After awhile, his gaze lands on Hotaru, the girl helping Amu to her feet, her eyes on the boy before her.

"Ikuto-kun…"

The guardians turn at the sound of the suffix added to Ikuto's name, their minds racing for an answer as to why it was there. After a few stray breezes, Ikuto steps forward, his eyes smoldering into Hotaru's. The girl's heartbeat picks up at the eye contact, her will melting at the gaze.

"Hotaru…We need-"

"-to go."

Everyone turns their attention to Kukai, his words heavy with distaste, his arms crossed along his chest to support his feelings about the situation. Hotaru is thankful for the distraction, her mind knowing full well that she wouldn't have been able to resist anything Ikuto would ask of her. Hotaru shrugs past Ikuto, her hand enclosed in Amu's.

"He's right. Let's go everyone."

Hotaru's head is down, her will to hold her tears in faltering slightly.

* * *

"Hotaru…are you alright?"

Hotaru had been spacing out for the past hour or so. Amu turns her head to her Chara, hoping for an answer to her friend's behavior. Ran and Miki then turn their heads to Kia, the ninja just as confused as they are. Kia floats down to Hotaru's face, the Chara grabbing a lock of the girl's hair.

"Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru snaps her head up, her eyes widening a fraction before turning to Kia. After a few seconds, a smile forces it's way onto her face.

"Yes? What is it?"

Kia sighs as she turns to Amu, encouraging the girl to ask her question. Hotaru follows the ninja's line of sight, her eyes now on the pink-haired elementary student. Amu's eyes search Hotaru's face, hoping to find a reason for the girl's sudden depression before releasing a sigh.

"Did….something happen with Ikuto? You two seemed like ya'll had something to say but…"

Hotaru looks down at her lap, her fingers twiddling with the edge of the oversized shirt she was wearing at the moment.

"…You could say something happened…yeah…but it's no big deal, really. I'm fine."

Amu gets off of her bed, moving down to sit next to the troubled girl. She places a small hand on Hotaru's shoulder, the urge to comfort her strong.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

After awhile, Hotaru's shoulders sag, her head hanging dejectedly.

"Well…long story short, we got into a fight. I just…"

Hotaru's vision begins to blur as tears threaten to betray her emotions once more. Luckily for her, her long hair was blocking Amu from seeing her heartbroken expression.

"…I didn't know what to do after finding out that Ikuto was a part of Easter. First my brother, then Ikuto…I just don't know what to do."

Amu nods her head to show that she was listening intently, her arms wrapping around the saddened teenager.

"I'm sure everything will turn out alright."

Hotaru nods her head, her fingers wiping at her eyes, her glasses already off for bed.

"Thanks Amu-chan."

Hotaru's eyes turn to Amu's clock, her eyes squinting to clear the blurry numbers.

"Amu, I believe it's time for you to go to bed."

Amu groans in disbelief, Hotaru knowing that she was only slightly agitated. Amu slips under her covers, her hand reaching for the lamp on her nightstand.

"Good night Hotaru."

Hotaru smiles warmly in return.

"Night Amu."

As the light goes off, the moon's light illuminates the room, the door to Amu's balcony only slightly covered by the curtain. After a few minutes, Hotaru stands up, her feet leading her to the clear sliding door. She looks outside, the moon captivating to the girl. She sighs inwardly, her hand on the glass.

'_What do I do? I know that I love Ikuto but…he's a part of the enemy.'_

Hotaru slides the door open, the night breeze a bit chilly. She closes the door behind her, her hair blowing idly in the wind. Hotaru rests her arms on the balcony railing, another sigh escaping her lips, as her eyes scan the quiet streets below her.

'_How did all of this happen?'_

"You know, it's dangerous to be out this late…especially dressed like that…"

At the deep voice, Hotaru jumps slightly, her emerald eyes locking with Amethyst.

"Ikuto-kun? What're you doing here?"

Ikuto shrugs, not wanting to discuss the fact that he had Yoru follow Hotaru here. He takes another step, Hotaru flinching backwards a bit.

"Some might even think…that you're an angel to take them away."

At Ikuto's words, Hotaru blushes deeply, the girl thankful for the darkness of the night. Hotaru's hands begin tugging at the bottom of the shirt, her mind registering that he noticed her clothes or lack thereof. Ikuto only chuckles at the action before grabbing the girl's hands and wrapping them around his neck, his hands then opening his jacket to wrap it around Hotaru, her body now pressed against his firmly.

"Ikuto…?"

Ikuto frowns a bit.

"Wrong."

Hotaru tilts her head, puzzlement in her eyes. Ikuto leans his head a bit towards her, his voice low.

"…that's not my name."

Hotaru's eyebrows scrunch together before raising in realization. Cheeks red, Hotaru averts her eyes downward, her heart racing at the proximity.

"….Ikuto-kun."

Ikuto smirks, a winning glint in his eyes. Hotaru, spotting the smile, pouts slightly before raising her gaze to meet his.

"Ikuto…kun, I'm pretty sure you didn't come here to correct me about your name. What are you doing here?"

Ikuto's face becomes a bit dejected, feigning hurt.

"You're not happy to see me? Not after everything we've been through?"

Hotaru's faces becomes a deep red at his implications, the color fading fast as Ikuto chuckles at her response. After a minute or so, Ikuto's face becomes serious, his grasp on the fragile girl tightening slightly.

"I know that your brother is planning to challenge Amu for her last Chara."

Hotaru's eyes widen in shock, her breath hitching in her throat.

"What? But when-"

She stops, recalling when Amu and her brother had a little silent exchange during the battle earlier that day. Her gaze becomes hardened, Ikuto a bit shocked that Hotaru could even show that much anger.

"Then, what do we…?"

"I can't do much unfortunately due to my being a part of Easter, but I came here to tell you the location of his hideout."

Hotaru locks eyes with Ikuto once more, her eyes searching his for any sign of betrayal or trickery.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Ikuto is quiet, for even he does not know the answer, his brain having racked itself on that question in particular. He sighs before leaning his forehead against Hotaru's, his eyes shut in thought.

"I know what it's like…to have someone you love and trust betray you."

Hotaru is quiet, her breathing heavy at the thought of Ikuto's lips so close to hers.

'_Doe he know how I really feel about him?'_

"What your brother did was wrong. He should've told you what he was doing…as I should've."

Hotaru blinks a bit in surprise before smiling softly.

'_Oh, he's speaking of my brother.'_

Ikuto opens an eye when he doesn't hear a response right away.

"Something funny?"

Hotaru shakes her head.

"This is the first time you've opened up to me. It makes me happy."

Ikuto only smirks before pulling Hotaru even closer, his mouth close to her ear as he whispers his next words.

"Well, I could open up more if you want."

Hotaru's face becomes beet red, another chuckle coming from Ikuto's direction. Hotaru looks away, embarrassment written all over her face. Ikuto gently pushes Hotaru's face to look at him, a smirk on his face.

"I may be working for Easter, but when we're at school, none of that matters…alright?"

Hotaru is in awe at the words that ease her heart immensely, before nodding her head, a small smile on her lips. Ikuto leans forward, pressing a soft kiss to Hotaru's forehead, his jacket now hanging from her shoulders as he pulls away.

"Good girl."

And then he was gone.

Hotaru continues to stand on the balcony, a hand touching her forehead slightly, a pink hue on her cheeks. Struggling to calm her erratic heartbeat, Hotaru feels the slight sting in her chest when remembering that they're relationship was only a façade. She closes her eyes, her mind having flashbacks of her times with Ikuto so far.

'_Ikuto-kun…if you only knew…'_

She smiles to herself, her hands now holding Ikuto's jacket closer to her body. It's as another breeze blows by that Hotaru whispers a few words to herself, her emotions floating on the wind.

"If only…."

* * *

**Author's Note: Taa-dah! My new year gift to everyone! I must say though that I thoroughly enjoyed this chapter. I am quite pleased with the result. So, for those who have stuck with me so far, I appreciate it and don't worry, I'm already working on the next chapter, so look forward to it.**


	11. Brother Reborn

**Author's Note: Oh, so far so good I think. Of course, this wraps up the whole scenario with Amu's missing egg, so I hope ya'll enjoy it. ^-^**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

**Dedication: To Toricahill1978 and Gywnn for the reviews~! This chapter is for you!**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Brother Reborn**

It was after Ikuto had left that Hotaru had noticed directions in Ikuto's jacket. She hadn't told Amu yet for several reasons, one being the fact of Ikuto visiting her so late. A sigh escapes her soft lips as she eyes the note in her hands. She had been excuse from school today as well so she hadn't had the chance to confront Ikuto about it, but she knew what she must do.

"Ahhh~"

Hotaru turns her head to notice the young ninja stretching, limbering her limbs from her nap. Hotaru smiles as she walks over, a plan already set in her head. Kia notices and looks up with a tilt of her head.

"Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru leans forward, her determination set.

"Kia, I need your help."

* * *

Ikuto was currently sitting by himself at lunch, a bento in his lap. Hotaru had asked Amu to drop it off before school started since her legs were still injured pretty badly. As he began nibbling on a piece of an omelet, a few of his friends decide to accompany him.

"Hey, Ikuto! What's up?"

"Yeah, why are you by yourself? Where's Hotaru-chan?"

Ikuto swallows his food, a few manners built into his system.

"She's not feeling well."

One of his friends throws his arm around the teen's shoulder, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"So that's why you're in a sour mood."

Ikuto frowns.

"I'm not-"

"Face it Ikuto. You're always a bit down when Hotaru's not around. Deny it all you want, but it's true."

Ikuto only remains quiet, his mind occupied with his friend's observation.

'_Am I really? I didn't notice…'_

"Oh, did Hotaru-chan make this?"

Ikuto nods his head as he takes another bite of his rice. His friend leans forward, his noise taking in the aroma.

"It smells good. Can I have a bite?"

Ikuto's eyes open only to glare for a few seconds.

"No."

His friend frowns as the other pats his back.

"Dude, let it go. Ikuto is stingy with Hotaru-chan. It's too bad, she's really cute."

Ikuto puts his chopsticks down for a second, a sigh heaving with his shoulders.

"I would appreciate it, if you didn't check out my girlfriend."

His friends just laugh as they pull away, smirks on their faces.

"Alright, alright. Since we care about you, we'll stop checking out your cute girlfriend."

"Yeah, it's obvious you two are smitten with each other anyways."

Ikuto's ears perk up at this comment, his body frozen stiff.

"Yeah, it's quite obvious really. The way she looks and smiles at you and the way you unconsciously watch over her. I thought I'd never see the day."

Ikuto doesn't response as the duo takes off, his thoughts on hyper drive.

'_It's obvious? How can it be? She's just my fake girlfriend. Sure, I'm stingy with what's mine, but that doesn't mean that I like her.'_

Ikuto looks down at his food, deciding on letting the matter go and finishing what was left. He had to hurry. After asking Amu about Nikaidou this morning, he realized that Hotaru hadn't told Amu about the location yet. Sure it had occurred to him that maybe she just hadn't had time, but deep down he knew that that was not the case.

* * *

Hotaru's eyes took in the abandoned building, the gate in front tall and looming. She had already Character Changed with Kia, a small crescent in her hair. As far as Hotaru was concerned, she felt that this was her problem. He was her brother, her family, she should deal with him. Hotaru easily scales the brick wall, her eyes squinting a bit in pain as she jumped down on the other side. She looks up, her heart beating fast at the thought of confronting her brother.

'_Onii-chan….I will make this right. No matter what…'_

Hotaru quickly dashes into the building, Kia following close behind. As she enters, her eyes quickly scan for any sign of life when small sounds on the floorboard above her catch her attention. She dashes upstairs.

* * *

Amu was currently walking home, her eyes on the ground, her mind not even on the planet.

'_I have to face Nikaidou sensei for Suu, but I have no idea where he is.'_

"Yo."

Amu turns around hurriedly, her eyes landing on the cat cosplayer. She steps back warily before Ikuto raises his hands in surrender.

"I'm not here to hurt you. Just to ask a few questions."

Amu drops her stance, her arms at her sides relaxed as Ran and Miki poke their heads out of Amu's school bag.

"What kind of questions?"

Ikuto leans against a nearby pole, his hands in his pockets, his aura one of calm.

"Are you planning on taking Nikaidou up on his challenge?"

Amu's eyes widen in surprise, her anger rising a bit in suspicion.

"How did you-?"

"I'm a cat."

Amu sighs exasperatedly.

"Oh yeah…But what does it matter to you?"

Ikuto only nods his head as he straightens up, his amethyst eyes mysterious.

"Did Hotaru talk to you about any of this?"

Amu looks down sadly, her shoulders sagging with the thoughts and emotions.

"I didn't have the heart to tell her. I know it's already tearing her up inside with everything that's been going on lately."

Ikuto sighs, one of his hands coming up to run through his hair. Yoru appears on his shoulder, a worried expression in his golden eyes.

"Great…"

"Ikuto, this isn't good."

Amu turns her attention between the two, her Chara on each of her shoulders.

"Why?"

"What's going on?"

Ikuto looks up, his expression stoic despite his conflicting emotions.

"I told Hotaru about your little challenge last night. I knew that she would want to help you so I gave her the directions to Nikaidou's lab."

Amu's eyes widen at this bit of information.

"But she didn't say anything this morning. Why would she…?"

Amu's eyes widen in disbelief as Ikuto nods his head.

"Yeah…She's planning to go on her own."

Amu suddenly becomes frantic, Ran and Miki desperately trying to calm her down.

"Oh my god! I can't believe this! Is she crazy? How could she do this?"

Ikuto's head tilts up to observe some passing clouds, his thoughts only on one thing.

"I believe it's because he's her brother that she felt the need to take care of this herself. She feels slightly responsible I'm sure."

Amu blinks confusedly, her mind a bit in awe at Ikuto's logical conclusion for Hotaru's actions.

'_Hotaru said they were only pretending to date each other…and yet, here he is, concerned about her well-being and doing what he can to help.'_

Amu raises an eyebrow skeptically, a question in her eyes.

"Instead of coming to get me, why didn't you go after her yourself?"

Ikuto turns away nonchalantly, a few passing pedestrians eyeing the two suspiciously.

"For several reasons. One being the fact that if Easter were to find out, they would not be happy."

Amu nods understandingly, her mind a bit stuck on what other reasons there were, but deciding not to debate on the issue at the moment.

"Alright, lead the way."

* * *

Hotaru ignores the dust stinging her eyes as she rushes upstairs, her hand grazing the banister for balance. As she turns a corner, she finds a few doors, the noise from before louder now. She eyes the one to her left, a small girly voice catching her off guard.

'_That must be Suu….'_

She sneaks over to the door, her hand preparing for the handle. She gulps audibly, breathing in deeply before running inside, a kunai appearing in her hand, ready to strike. She slams the door against the wall, the two occupants of the room turning to her.

"Hotaru?"

"Hotaru!"

"Brother, I want you to stop this now! What you're doing is not right. Can't you see that you're hurting people?"

A few seconds pass in shock, Hotaru suddenly self-conscious of herself before deciding to stay strong. She walks in confidently, kunai in hand, her face stern. Nikaidou, regaining his composure, presses a button to his left, the small device activating a small trap. Hotaru looks up in shock only for a few X eggs to knock her into a wall, small metal devices pinning her wrists and legs.

"N-No!"

Hotaru struggles desperately, tears threatening to fall, her voice desperate. After flailing about for a few minutes, Nikaidou watching intently, she sags, her will depleted. Kia pulls at the devices but to no avail as Suu strokes the distressed girl's cheek. Trails of salt water appear on her face and as she looks up to yell once more, she's shocked to see a pained look on her siblings face.

"Why?…Why are you doing this? I….I don't understand…"

She hangs her head, her soft sobs the only sound in the room besides the whirring of several machines.

"It's best if you don't understand…It's better that way."

Hotaru raises her head to question the statement, but only manages to glimpse his back as he returns to the buzzing computer.

* * *

Amu had finally come to the gate, Ikuto already having left so as not to be seen. Quickly Character Changing with Ran, she easily jumps the gate, her feet quick as she rushes to the door. Unknowingly, Nikaidou had spotted his prey, a devious smirk on his face.

"Here she comes."

Hotaru gasps, unsure of what to do before preparing herself to yell.

"Amu, don't-!"

A hand is quickly placed over her mouth, her cries muffled. She turns her angered eyes to her brother, her chest heaving with each breath.

"You shall not warn her. Doing so may not be good for you."

Hotaru is about to retort when her brother suddenly grabs Suu, her egg in his other hand. Hotaru gasps in shock.

"W-what're you doing?"

"I'm going to make the embryo. All I need is X eggs and an egg that has Character Transformed. So now, get into your egg."

Hotaru's eyes widen before starting to struggle once more, desperate to help Amu's Chara.

"Stop it!"

"W-why are you doing this Sensei? You can see Chara, so that means you used to have one, right?"

Hotaru's body freezes, the information sending off a bell in her head.

'_Of course…Why didn't I think of it before? If Onii-chan can see Chara, that means he used to have one as well.'_

At Suu's words, Hotaru notices her brother begin to space out, his eyes staring off. Hotaru's hopes rise only to crash as a frown sets over.

"It doesn't matter. Dreams are nothing once reality sets in. Sacrifices have to be made."

At the last part, Hotaru could feel his eyes on her, though she was unsure as to why. She's snapped out of her reverie however when she hears Suu's cries for help.

"No!"

"Don't even think Himamori-san is going to come either. I left a little surprise for her."

The door suddenly slams open once more, Amu bursting through as Amulet Spade. Hotaru's face lightens up.

"Amu-chan!"

Amu turns her head to notice Hotaru pinned to the wall, her expression one of shock.

"Hotaru?!"

"You came just in time Amu, be witness to the birth of the embryo."

Amu is distressed as Ran floats over.

"Amu, let's Character Transform."

Amu nods her head, her clothes switching to the attire of a pink cheerleader. She holds her hand out, a small heart rod emerging out of thin air. Hotaru notices Amu's confusion before realizing the true purpose of the wand.

"You're plans are foiled Nikaidou!"

She tosses it at him, but the baton spins off past.

"You missed."

"That's what you think."

Everyone turns their heads at the sound of breaking glass, Nikaidou's yell of disappointment evident.

"My machine!"

Suu manages to escape her confined prison when a darkness begins to form in the room.

"W-what's going on?"

"The X eggs inside the machine are unstable, I don't have control anymore."

Amu is about to attack when Suu stops her, the little Chara ready.

"Let's Character Transform Amu-chan!"

"Alright."

Amu's clothes change once more, this time turning into a green dress with a frilly apron and bows. A whisk appears in her small hands, sparkles appearing in the air.

"Chip, syrup, whip!"

At the chant of those words, syrup begins to flow around the eggs, the darkness fading as the eggs begin to return to their owners. As soon as Amu sure that there is no more danger, she returns to her original form, both girls noticing Nikaidou's shocked expression as an egg appears before him.

"My egg…but I thought…."

The egg suddenly hatches, a small little scientist popping out. A contagious smile appears on it's face.

"We finally meet! I'm so happy!"

Suddenly, the Chara begins to return to it's egg, a worried gleam in the owner's eyes.

"Goodbye! I'll see you later!"

Once the egg becomes whole once more, it vanishes, Nikaidou's head hanging a bit.

"I knew that it was too late to turn back. The path I've chosen has been a dark one."

Suu floats forward, a happy twinkle in her eyes.

"But he said, 'I'll see you later'. Don't you realize that your dream has been reborn as something even better than before!"

Amu nods her head at this, a satisfied look in place, her hands on her hips.

"But…I still had a plan that cost me countless amounts of money. I'm still a loser…"

"By who?"

Nikaidou is a little thrown off by this a bit, before answering unsurely.

"I don't know…by society…?"

Amu shakes her head, her pink locks swaying back and forth.

"You were the only one expecting results from your plan, so no one feels that you're a loser. "

All is quiet, Hotaru staying off in the background. Suu's attack had released her from her binds, but at the moment, she wasn't sure of what to do. Footsteps catch her attention as Amu's friends burst in.

"Amu!"

"Are you okay?"

Kukai steps forward, his disgust with their former teacher obvious.

"Nikaidou!"

Amu waves her hand.

"Now, now. It's alright now."

Amu turns her attention to Nikaidou as they begin to head out, her smile soft and warm.

"Besides, I know there's one person who feels that you're never a loser, despite anything that happens."

At this, Nikaidou's eyes turn to his younger sister who has been sitting quietly in the background. His hands clench, unsure of how to explain himself, for there's only so much he can tell her without endangering her. Quick footsteps sound, Nikaidou's head looking up as Hotaru rushes over, tears in her emerald eyes.

"O-Onii-chan!"

She jumps up, her arms wrapping around her brother's neck, sobs emanating from her petite body. Nikaidou returns the embrace wholeheartedly, relief etched onto his features.

"Hotaru-chan…"

* * *

**Author's Note: Why can't Nikaidou tell his sister everything? Why didn't Ikuto rescue Hotaru himself? Everything will be explained in due time. Lol Hope that ya'll review and look forward to the next chapter because things get interesting. ^-^ **


	12. The Graceful Trapeze Artist

**Author's Note: I must start off with saying though that I must thank all of those who are reading this story. It makes me so happy that you have no idea. Lol Finally, Hotaru's second egg makes her grand debut.**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

**Dedication: Toricahill1978  
**

* * *

**Chapter 12: The Graceful Trapeze Artist**

After having settled things with her brother, Hotaru had returned home, both glad to be able to speak to each other once more, though, Hotaru was a bit troubled. Though her sibling had apologized for his actions, there were parts where she was iffy, as if he was keeping certain things from her. Hotaru wanted to question him, but deciding to wait since they were a family again, and at the moment that was all she could ask for.

"I'll see you later Onii-chan!"

Hotaru had a feeling that today was going to be a good day, her 2nd egg bouncing against her chest as she jogged to school, Kia close behind.

Who knew that one could be so right, and yet so wrong?

* * *

Hotaru was currently sitting at her usual lunch spot, Ikuto running a little late. As she began to swing her legs back and forth, Hotaru noticed two pairs of feet in front of her. She looks up, her eyes landing on two familiar boys, smiles on each of their faces.

"Hey there Hotaru-chan! Waiting for Ikuto?"

Hotaru only manages to nod her head, unsure of what was going on.

"I thought so. Ikuto did get in trouble with the teacher again today for falling asleep in class."

"Yeah, he's seemed tired lately a bit."

Hotaru tilts her head in interest, trying to remember where she had seen these two.

"I…don't mean to be rude, but who are you?"

Both of them wave off her question.

"Don't worry, we're friends of Ikuto. We decided to come by and keep you company when we noticed a group of girls glaring at you. Wouldn't want them to jump you while you're vulnerable."

As the leader of the two spoke, he nodded his head to Hotaru's legs, a few rolls of bandages still intact.

"O-Oh…I see. Well, um, thank you."

She smiles brightly at this, glad to know that Ikuto had nice friends. She notices no response from the male duo and inspects them, both seeming to be cut off by something.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Don't mind them, they're just jealous."

Hotaru turns her head at the familiar voice, the tone alone causing her heart to beat fast. Her smile turns warm, both boys noticing the change in her aura.

"Ikuto-kun."

Ikuto would usually return her warm greeting but at the moment he was too preoccupied with his friend's presence.

"You two are free to leave."

One of his friends pouts playfully, feigning hurt.

"Ikuto, you're so cruel. Keeping Hotaru-chan all to yourself. Some of us would like to see her cute smile too."

Ikuto is only quiet before burying the girl in his chest, his head resting on her own.

"Well, I'm a cruel person."

His friend's only laugh at his answer before rushing off, the two knowing that Ikuto would be in a sour mood if they lingered. Hotaru was frozen stiff at the embrace, her face a deep red, never having been held like this before.

"I-Ikuto-K-kun…"

Ikuto looks down before gently releasing her and proceeding to sit down on the bench. Hotaru follows suit after awhile, her hands holding out his bento.

"Here you go."

Ikuto only smiles as he takes it from her, a bit glad at the peace and quiet.

* * *

Hotaru had just changed into her gym clothes which consisted of short shorts and the typical school long sleeved shirt, the shirt a black color, the shorts the same light blue on their uniforms. Hotaru had braided her hair for class today, having been told that it was best if hair was out of their face. All students aligned as the gym teacher appeared, their voice booming around them.

"Alright, today we start in gymnastics a bit, so I decided to start with the balance beam."

Hotaru flinched slightly, her fear beginning to set in.

'_Oh no…not that….'_

She gulped audibly, her body trembling a bit.

"So, any takers? Miss. Nikaidou?"

Hotaru's head shot up, her eyebrows furrowed in nervousness.

"Oh, I don't know if I-"

"C'mon, you're up."

Hotaru continued to tremble in her spot, unsure of what to do, knowing that if she didn't do anything, then she would be in trouble.

"Oh, it's Ikuto-kun! They're playing soccer!"

Everyone then turned their attention to the other group outside. Ikuto had just scored a goal when the coach blows his whistle. Their gym teacher calls them over, a signal that the game was either over or on hold.

"Alright, take a 10 minute break. Miss. Sanada's class is starting gymnastics this month, so you're free to join during your break if you want."

Miss. Sanada shook her head at the other teacher's words, her annoyance clear as day.

"Thanks for asking Shinji."

Sanada looks around, holding her finger up for a moment as she walked over to the other teacher, wanting to chat with him for a bit. Some of the guys in the other class began to head over, most going over to chat with the females in Hotaru's line. Co-ed was rare in gym, so the girls were currently chatting about how cute the guys were. Ikuto, having spotted familiar lavender hair, had walked over. Hotaru's mind was currently lingering on how good Ikuto looked in his white long-sleeved shirt and black shorts when he reached her side.

"Hotaru…"

Hotaru smiles as a small blush adorns her cheeks.

"H-hi Ikuto-kun."

Ikuto's eyes unknowingly rove over Hotaru's frame, her legs catching his interest easily.

"Alright, girls, get ready."

All turn to Sanda as she blows her whistle, her hand signaling to Hotaru.

"You're up Nikaidou."

Hotaru was beginning to tremble once more, a few drops of sweat beginning to drape her brow. Ikuto seems to notice the girl's hesitation.

"Hotaru, are you alright?"

If it weren't for his cat like hearing, he wouldn't have noticed Hotaru's whispers.

"I'm so clumsy…I'm going to fall…I'm going to fall…I'm not graceful at all…."

"C'mon Hotaru!"

Hotaru nods her head slowly as she heads over to the balance beam, her footsteps slow.

'_What am I going to do? I'm going to fall and….everyone is going to laugh…and Ikuto is watching to top it all off. Oh no….'_

**[Then Change that. Change from a girl who is clumsy to one who is graceful.]**

As the foreign voice speaks, small intricate designs appear on the upper part of Hotaru's legs and around the top of her left arm. Ikuto's eyes zero in on the changes, his mind generally understanding what was happening. At the change, Hotaru's strides become confident, a smile intact as she stands up on the balance beam.

"Alright Coach, what do you want me to do?"

Sanada shrugs before returning her attention to her clipboard.

"Do what you can, on my mark."

Hotaru nods, the coach blowing her whistle in response. Hotaru's feet take off, each step down the center of the beam as she raises her hands, the coach's whistle dropping from her mouth as Hotaru proceeds to do a upside down split on the beam, her arms holding her up as she then easily slides into a back flip, her feet pushing her off backwards off of the beam. Ikuto steps forward as the coach does, fear evident in their eyes.

"Hotaru!"

"Nikaidou!"

But Hotaru's arms only pull in as her body straightens out, her limbs close together as her whole body twists in the air, her feet landing softly on the ground, knees bent before straightening up, arms raised, a shocked and frightened look on her face. All is quiet before all of the students begin to clap, yells of excitement coming from various directions.

'_What did I just do…?'_

After a minute of shock, the coach's head turns as she watches Hotaru rush back to her spot next to Ikuto before grinning madly.

"Great job Nikaidou! Glad to see some confidence coming from you finally."

Hotaru smiles nervously at the teacher as she reaches Ikuto's side, Sanada calling up another student. Hotaru's hand grips onto Ikuto's sleeve, her eyes staring off.

"You alright?"

Hotaru nods her head.

"You Character Changed, didn't you?"

Hotaru nods her head once more, a bit unsure before but was now sure of what occurred.

"Hotaru-chan!"

Both turn their head to the new figure floating next to Kia, the small Chara smiling widely.

"Hi, I'm Lily! It's nice to finally meet you Hotaru!"

The little Chara was currently adorning tights of some sort, the one piece tying around her neck, a small skirt going to her knees, a slit right down the front. In Lily's hair were two red lilies, the flowers pulling her locks back. Two bracers covered her wrists, the same designs that were on Hotaru were on her as well, and on her feet were two acrobat flats.

'_An…Acrobat?'_

"It's…nice to meet you too."

Lily suddenly moves forward, excitement in the Chara's eyes.

"Oh, you were wonderful earlier! You landed that layout perfectly! Thank goodness you're limber from having done ballet or that would've been more difficult."

At this new bit of knowledge, Ikuto raises an eyebrow, secretly happy to be learning something knew about the girl that sometimes plagued his thoughts.

"Ballet?"

Hotaru turns to him before fiddling with the end of her braid, a slight hue on her cheeks.

"Yes, well…My parents are kind of important, so it was expected of me to be talented in several areas. I can also play the flute, crochet, figure skate and tea ceremony, though I've never been graceful enough to perform the ceremony for anyone.

Ikuto stares at the shy girl, never having thought of that before.

"I see…and the others you are?"

Hotaru nods her head, a smile beginning to grace her lips.

"Yes…I enjoyed them so much that excelling just happened naturally. I had fun and my parents were pleased, it was a win-win situation."

Both Chara beginning talking, Kia helping the acrobat catch up.

"Iku-chan~!"

Ikuto lifts his head as a yawning Yoru floats over, his cat eyes easily spotting the new Chara. Lily notices him and floats over gracefully, her arms wrapping around Yoru's.

"You're so cute!"

Hotaru could only laugh as Yoru's face turned beet red, Ikuto's chuckles following after.

* * *

Hotaru's ballet lesson had just let out, Lily having insisted on following which turned into a fiasco of her walking along some of the railings and doing flowing flips and splits. Luckily for her, both Chara were resting in their eggs, both of which were pinned to Hotaru's hip. The sky had darkened considerably, Hotaru having stayed behind for some more practice, always determined to perfect her forms for she had a show coming up and her parents were to attend.

"Oh, my goodness, that was a close one."

"Yeah, if it hadn't been for that boy, we could've gotten hurt."

Hotaru's head perked up as two women passed her, the fear and worry in their eyes evident.

"I hope he's okay. I think a few of them had knives."

Hotaru's gut was turning at this tidbit of news, her mind already imaging who the boy might be. She shakes her head, her hand lightly slapping her face.

'_Don't overreact…I'm sure it wasn't even him…'_

She continues ahead, her bag clutched tightly to keep her mind from wandering when she notices an alleyway, her head turning unconsciously to inspect the dark area. Hotaru freezes in place, her eyes distant in paralysis from the sight before her. Ikuto was sitting on the ground, his back leaning against one of the buildings, several cuts and bruises on his body.

"Ikuto!"

Hotaru rushes over, her need to know that Ikuto was alright overriding her logical thoughts. She quickly kneels by him, Yoru licking one of the cuts on his arm.

"A-Are you alright? What happened?"

"You're too loud..."

Hotaru ignores his response, her hand quickly reaching into her bag to pull out a small handkerchief and some antiseptic. She quickly sprays it onto one of the corners before returning her attention to Ikuto, his amethyst eyes watching her every move. It's when her hand begins to tremble as she presses the cloth against the cut on his face that the guilt begins to settle in. Eyes sparkling with unshed tears, eyebrows scrutinized in worry, Hotaru leans her forehead onto Ikuto's shoulder, her free hand gripping his shirt tightly.

"Ouch…ouch!"

Hotaru looks up, her body pulling away instinctively, eyes wide.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Where does it hurt?"

Always quick to move, Ikuto had grabbed one of Hotaru's wrists, his face only a few inches from her own, his tongue out to taunt her.

"Just kidding."

A frown of embarrassment appears as she pushes Ikuto back reflexively, her hands hitting his chest lightly.

"You jerk! I'm worried and you decide to tease me?!"

"Ow…that really does hurt…"

Hotaru stops at hearing his words, her attention returning only to see Ikuto's body fall forward, his head landing in her lap.

"Ah….I'm dead."

Hotaru is unable to move, a dark red tint covering her whole face, her hands still raised in mid-punch. She doesn't move for what seems like hours before relaxing her body, her heartbeat erratic.

'_He looks so cute like this…he really is like a cat…'_

One of Hotaru's hands begins to play with Ikuto's blue locks, her fingers unintentionally grazing his ear every now and then.

"Hey…watch my ears."

Hotaru blinks confusedly.

"Ears?"

He nods his head, his hair tickling Hotaru's legs as one of his hands points to the ear that Hotaru's hand was close to.

"Yes, they're sensitive….like yours. My one weak spot."

At his words, Hotaru remembers how Ikuto would usually smirk at her reaction after whispering in her ear. Hotaru's hands shoot to her face, her mind willing to push the blush down.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry. I-I didn't mean to!!"

She quickly sits up, forgetting for that one moment that Ikuto had been using her for support, his head hitting the pavement with a thud. Hotaru gasps, kneeling back down to inspect his head.

"Ah! I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

Ikuto is quiet as he stands up, his hands brushing his jacket as Hotaru follows suit.

'_Oh…is he angry?'_

"Iku-"

Hotaru is quickly silenced as Ikuto traps her to a wall, his arms blocking her escape, his gaze intense. He leans forward slowly, Hotaru's eyes beginning to close, her lips beginning to pucker. Her eyes close, waiting for his lips when she suddenly feels a soft bite on her ear, her face flushing immediately.

"I-Ikuto!!!"

Her hand covers her ear as Ikuto smirks that teasing smirk of his, a playful glint in his eyes.

"I see that they're your weak spot too."

She frowns, completely embarrassed at being caught off guard, and feeling slightly guilty in enjoying what he had done to her.

"Let's go home."

Hotaru looks up shocked, a bit confused before realizing what he had said. Ikuto turns his eyes to her, a stoic look on his face once more.

"You're house is this way, right?"

Hotaru nods her head after a few seconds, her feet quick to catch up with him.

* * *

**Note: I didn't want to make this chapter too long, so the amusement park scene will be in the next chap. Thinking about it now, I think it'll fit in there better anyways. Lol Until the next chap!**


	13. Angels and Rivals

**Author's Note: The plot thickens! I must start off with saying though that I must thank all of those who are reading this story. It makes me so happy that you have no idea. Lol So, moving on with Hotaru/Ikuto which is why I know you're here, this chapter is another step. Whether forward or backward is for you to determine. Enter the rival!!**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

**Dedication: xXx Shadowcat xXx  
**

_Previously:_

"_Let's go home."_

_Hotaru looks up shocked, a bit confused before realizing what he had said. Ikuto turns his eyes to her, a stoic look on his face once more._

"_You're house is this way, right?"_

_Hotaru nods her head after a few seconds, her feet quick to catch up with him._

* * *

**Chapter 13: Angels and Rivals**

Hotaru followed Ikuto closely, her eyes watching his back, her thoughts elsewhere.

'_He's so close…and yet…'_

Suddenly, Ikuto jumps on top of a brick wall, his hands still in his pockets. Hotaru is hesitant at first before Character Changing to be able to follow suit.

"Is this really the way home?"

"Ah."

Hotaru's eyebrows furrowed.

'_What does that mean?'_

Several more stray paths and alleys later, Hotaru finds herself face-to-face with an amusement park. Her breath is taken away at the sight.

"Oh, wow…Is this an amusement park?"

Ikuto nods his head, a night breeze raising a few locks of his hair.

"They're going to tear it down soon. The power works for awhile when you switch on the brake."

Hotaru turns to him as he heads toward an old small office building, a loud switch heard before everything in the park turns on. To Hotaru, the lights were like stars…

….so many stars.

She turns her head to Ikuto as he heads back over, a huge smile on her face.

"What do you want to try first?"

Hotaru turns to the park before her before turning her head to Ikuto once more.

"Um…what is there?"

Ikuto raises an eyebrow.

"Have you never been to an amusement park?"

Hotaru lowers her head, a bit saddened at the memories.

"No…My parents are always so busy and when Onii-chan finally became old enough to take me, he became busy too."

Ikuto is quiet before looking around at the rides.

"Then look and around and choose."

Hotaru raises her head in shock before smiling widely. She first spots a carousel and rushes over. Ikuto watches with amusement as Hotaru sits on one of the horses as the ride begins to spin, excitement in her eyes. Hotaru giggles immensely as her Chara sit on the horse's head, Yoru joining them. Yoru speaks up.

"Let's ride that one next!"

Hotaru follows his paw to a machine with spinning swings. She nods her head before jumping down.

* * *

Hotaru had gone on several rides after the swings, a few including the water log, a giant swinging boat which had freaked her out, and rocket of some sort. Hotaru had just gotten down when she spotted Ikuto. She runs over.

"Aren't you going to ride anything?"

"No, I'm having fun just watching you."

Hotaru is a little taken back before grabbing his hand.

"C'mon, you have to ride at least one."

Though, what Hotaru and Ikuto were currently had not exactly been her best idea. They were both a bit scrunched up in a small, spinning tea cup meant for kids. Hotaru was trying so hard not to laugh, because to her, Ikuto seemed so out of place.

"This has been wonderful."

Hotaru turns her sight off to the side, the images spinning around her. Ikuto watches her with interested eyes, waiting for her to continue.

"I never knew that parks like this could be so fun. I'm glad I finally went to one. It's such a change for me."

Ikuto leans his head into his hand.

"Things change unfortunately. Everyone becomes older, distant…This amusement park is an example. So many kids used to come here, and now it's going to disappear soon. Everything is coming to an end. Only those who really care about you notice the small differences."

Hotaru is quiet as the teacup comes to a stop, the power going out. Hotaru smiles.

"Yes, well…I don't like to think of it as an end. Change…"

She blushes as she stares intensely at Ikuto, her smile warm.

"…is new beginning."

* * *

Hotaru was sitting in her room, having been yelled at a bit from her brother, but she was too happy to care. Hotaru's next poem was on her lap, her hand scribbling down rhymes as they came to her. Lily floats over, reading a few lines.

"I had fun today….and now I can't stop the words that appear on this page."

Kia perches on Hotaru's shoulder.

"…inspiration hits when one least expects it."

"That is true."

After finishing the poem, Hotaru sighs, her face a deep red.

"….I love him."

* * *

Hotaru groggily sits up, one of her hands rubbing her eyes, her ears catching the sounds of bickering downstairs. Hotaru quickly gets up, rushing over to her door to try and catch what was going on. After a few minutes, she recognizes Yukari's voice.

"What is Yukari-onee-san doing here?"

After awhile, she hears a door slam. She jumps from the impact before slowly peeking outside her door. Hotaru eyes look down, her attire simple. Her hair was in low pigtails, her sleep attire consisting of a tank top and shorts. She hears a sigh from her brother, but another voice throws her off.

"Is Hotaru home?"

Hotaru hears her brother say something but it's muffled. She slowly walks over to the top of the stairs, hoping to hear better.

"Look…I can sense Chara here. I won't tell my sister if that's what you're wondering. If my hypothesis is correct, Onee-chan doesn't know, right?"

"No…she doesn't."

"I promise not to tell, alright? So please, can I see her?"

At this point, Hotaru realized that she wasn't going to get anymore details so she walks downstairs. She spots a boy, but Hotaru suddenly remembers she's not wearing her glasses.

"See who?"

Both turn to her, and she then gets a blurry image of the unknown boy, her mind now recalling a small fact.

'_Yukari-onee-san has a younger brother…'_

"Kairi-kun?"

Kairi grins widely before walking over to her.

"It's been awhile Hotaru-san."

Hotaru is ecstatic, her feet quick to jump down the last few steps as she wraps her arms around Kairi. Kairi is a bit stiff, Hotaru not noticing that his face is red from the contact and her…clothing. After awhile though, he returns the embrace. Nikaidou seethes from his spot before walking to the couch. Hotaru pulls away, so many questions bouncing in her head.

"Oh, wow! What're you doing here Kairi-kun?"

Kairi chuckles a bit, having missed the cute girl before him.

"Well, I'm transferring to one of the schools here for a bit, so I thought I'd drop by and say hi."

Hotaru tilts her head.

"Which school?"

"Seiyo Elementary School."

Hotaru's smile returns as she grabs his hands and begins shaking them.

"That's where Amu-chan goes! I should be seeing you a lot then."

This time Kairi is confused.

"Amu?"

Hotaru nods her head.

"Yes, I took on a small babysitting job here and Amu was the girl I babysat. She's very cute and funny. You should like her."

Kairi's face turns red, a bit baffled.

"Like? As in like 'like'?"

Hotaru is a bit shocked before laughing.

"No, no. As in a person. Though…I don't know, you could like her that way."

"No!!"

Everyone is quiet at Kairi's outburst, his face a deep red.

"U-uh…I, mean…"

As Hotaru is waiting for his excuse, Kia and Lily appear at her shoulders, both watching intently as well.

"Very energetic, isn't he?"

"I think he's kind of cute!"

Kairi looks up at this, a little samurai appearing at his own side. Hotaru eagerly leans forward, her hand held forward palm up. The Chara lands easily.

"I am Musashi. Very pleased to meet you."

Hotaru smiles warmly as she hugs Musashi to her face.

"Aw, you're so cute. I'm Hotaru."

"You have Chara Hotaru-san?"

Hotaru releases the samurai, who is currently trying to regain his composure, as she nods her head.

"Yes, this is Kia and Lily."

Both said move forward, Kia bowing as Lily curtsies.

"It's very nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine."

Kairi nods his head as he bows head in the same manner as his Chara.

"I'm Kairi. Charmed I'm sure."

Hotaru giggles slightly.

"So, why can't you like Amu-chan?"

Kairi is quiet, his eyes on his feet before standing up straight, seriousness etched in his features.

"Besides the fact that I don't know her, I like someone else."

Nikaidou's ears perk up at this, the scientist pretending like he's not listening. Hotaru keeps her eyes on Kairi.

"Really? Since when?"

"For a long time now."

"Who is it?"

Kairi is about to answer when a small noise starts to come from his pocket. Kairi pulls out a cell phone, his eyes only glancing at the caller ID before sighing.

"I'm have to go, my sister is calling me."

Hotaru nods her head in understanding. She hugs Kairi tightly, a smile on her face.

"I'll see you later then?"

Kairi nods his head, his hand adjusting his frames. He turns around and exit's the door. Hotaru then turns to her brother, a thoughtful look on her face.

"I wonder who Kairi-kun likes…"

Nikaidou only snickers, leaving Hotaru even more confused.

* * *

"Amu-chan!"

Amu turns around at the call of her voice, her eyes landing on one of her trusted friends.

"Good morning Hotaru! How are you?"

Hotaru catches her breath after reaching the girl before continuing.

"Good, just thought I'd let you know that I'm going to walk with you after school today. You're parents are going out, so I'll be coming over."

Amu nods her head, as Hotaru begins to walk ahead.

"I'll see you later then!"

She waves off, Hotaru already disappearing down the corner. Hotaru is smiling brightly, a little skip in her step. After her day yesterday with Ikuto, she was pretty much on cloud nine.

"Ah!"

"Oof!"

Having been too caught up in her thoughts, Hotaru had ran straight into someone. She had expected to hit the ground, but two gentle hands had wrapped themselves around her arms. Hotaru looks up gingerly, her mind already full aware of who it was. She giggles nervously, her eyes averting to anywhere but the blue-haired teenager.

"For one with glasses, you don't really pay attention to where you're going."

Hotaru pouts playfully.

"I get that a lot."

Ikuto only chuckles before releasing Hotaru, his hand finding it's way to hers as he begins to lead her to school. Hotaru follows willingly, her mind fixated on their hands.

"I thought you would be over here."

"You did?"

Ikuto only nods his head as they turn a corner, a few other students from their school appearing around the block. Yoru appears on Hotaru's head, his purring loud.

"I sniffed you out."

Hotaru turns her eyes to Ikuto who has suddenly found the trees interesting. Hotaru only smiles before squeezing Ikuto's hand slightly.

* * *

Hotaru was currently waiting outside Amu's school gate, her eyes looking out for pink locks. A group of kids suddenly rush out, Hotaru having to press herself against the wall in order to not be crushed. After a minute or so, Hotaru opens her eyes wearily, her vision quick to spot Amu turning the corner. She gently pushes her way through the throng of students, her footsteps quick.

'_I wonder if she met Kairi-kun today.'_

As Hotaru starts to catch up, her ears perceive Amu's voice.

"I tried to smile, even though it's not in my character, but they say it's boring or it's unlike me. Sheesh."

Hotaru's confusion starts to grow with each word.

'_Did she have a bad first day?'_

Hotaru becomes worried, her pace quickening.

"Hey, Am-"

But she's cut off as Amu raises her arms in the air, obviously exasperated and worn out from the day.

"Argh! I don't want to deal with this! What do they want from me?! I don't get it! Spring stinks! Nothing good happens…"

Hotaru is cut off guard by Amu's outburst but it's when an egg shoots out from Amu's bag that Hotaru's fear rises.

"Amu!"

Amu turns around at the sound of her name, tears threatening to fall. As Amu's eyes land on Hotaru, Hotaru quickly diverts her attention to the sky.

"Amu! You're egg?!"

Amu looks up, an X egg I sight. Amu's eyebrows furrow.

"No…"

Kia quickly speaks up, the Chara's attention on her owner.

"Hotaru-chan."

"Right."

Hotaru kneels down, her bag falling to the ground as she takes off. Her hand stretches outward toward the egg when a sharp pain to her head knocks her down. Hotaru lands roughly, her hand trying to soothe the sting on her skull.

"Ow…What happened?"

"Hotaru-chan!"

Hotaru looks up as Amu rushes over, an apologetic look on her face.

"Sorry, Amu-chan, it got away."

"Don't worry about that right now. Are you alright?"

Hotaru nods her head slightly as they stand.

"Yeah…I think I bumped into something though."

"Look!"

Hotaru looks down at Lily's voice, the acrobat pointing toward a small angel unconscious on the ground. Hotaru's eyes widen as she kneels to pick it up. Hotaru turns to Amu only to notice a small new egg in her hand.

"What's going on?"

* * *

"You wanted to see me?"

Nikaidou nods his head, his stance casual. A small night breeze blows through, both unaffected by the slight chill.

"I must admit, I was a bit shocked when you came by earlier today asking for Hotaru."

Ikuto's eyes close nonchalantly as he shrugs his shoulders.

"So, what'd you want to talk about?"

Nikaidou pushes himself off of the side of his home, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Ikuto…look…I don't mind you dating Hotaru. Putting the fact that you could hurt her aside, there are more serious problems."

Nikaidou locks his eyes with Ikuto's, the air a bit tense.

"You have to be careful on where you show your display of affection towards Hotaru…and especially in front of who you display it."

Ikuto raises his eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

Nikaidou sighs as he runs a hand through his messy locks.

"Easter…doesn't know about Hotaru. As far as they know, Hotaru is with our parents traveling various parts of the world."

Ikuto's eyes widen at this bit of information, his mind not really grasping the danger of the situation until Nikaidou's next words.

"…and they especially don't know about her Chara."

Ikuto's eyes narrow as he turns his head.

'_This isn't good…'_

Ikuto's expression returns to a stoic one.

"Why would they go after her? A lot of people have Chara."

Nikaidou nods his head, knowing that Ikuto would bring this up.

"Yes, but not all of them are the daughter of one of the co-founders of Easter…"

Ikuto was starting to become really overwhelmed with all of this information. Then, something dawned on Ikuto.

"…that's why you attacked your own sister. If Easter had known about her, they-"

"-They would force her to join…and if they knew I had cared about her for even a second, they would've used her against me. As the daughter of one of the co-founders and as your girlfriend…"

"but-"

Nikaidou cuts him off, hand raised.

"…fake or not, they'll think you care about her and wouldn't hesitate to threaten her to get you to do what they want. Ikuto…you have to be careful. If you won't do it for me, then do it for Hotaru. You may not realize it, but you care about her, you will at least be wary of those around you."

All is quiet, another breeze blowing through, as Ikuto plans out his words. After awhile, he shoves his hands in his pockets, his hand low.

"I'll keep my eyes out. I won't let them lay a finger on Hotaru."

Ikuto lifts his head, his eyes burning with anger at the thought of Easter using Hotaru.

"Alright?"

Nikaidou nods his head.

"Alright."

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh, it gets intense. I must say I love this little agreement between Hotaru's brother and Ikuto. It shows that her brother cares on a level that Hotaru won't understand. So, Ikuto's feelings are true to others, but Ikuto is still a little in the dark, but don't worry, they won't be for long. Lol Review?**


	14. New Phone, New Secrets

Author's Note: I'm actually working on this over the week. See, I write chapters during the weekdays(hopefully) and then post them on the weekend. Now, I owe you guys since I wasn't able to go to my usual spot for internet last weekend and a few bills cleaned out my wallet so I couldn't go to a star bucks either. I've been working all week, one of my employees have been giving me so much trouble I just kind of want to punch him. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter like the rest. Thanks.

Rating: T for SOME adult language

_**Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!**_

**Dedication:**

* * *

**Chapter 14: New Phone, New Secrets**

Hotaru and Amu were currently in the elementary student's room. The unconscious Chara had been placed in a small makeshift bed. Hotaru was a bit worried, afraid she might've seriously injured the little angel.

"Do you think she'll be okay?"

Amu shrugs.

"I believe so. I don't think you did anything too bad."

Hotaru's head hangs in shame, a gloomy aura residing around her.

"I feel so bad…"

Amu laughs a bit before rubbing Hotaru's shoulder.

"She'll be fine. Calm down."

Hotaru forces a smile before turning her eyes serious.

"How are you Amu-chan? What happened today?"

Amu flinches at the question before burying her head in one of her pillows.

"Nadeshiko left without saying goodbye…"

Hotaru's eyes widened at this, a bit shocked.

'_I could've swore that they were best friends…'_

"Then a new girl appears, and I try to be nice and she shrugs me off. Now, everyone thinks I'm weird and boring. Kukai graduated and now my egg is an X egg. I'm a joker, it's my job to capture them."

Hotaru nods her head solemnly before pulling Amu into an embrace.

"I'm sure things will pick up Amu-chan. You'll see. I bet Nadeshiko left without a word because she probably wouldn't have been able to bear saying goodbye. The kids might be saying what they are because they're not used to your true self. You have to have confidence. Stay positive, alright?"

Amu can't help but smile at Hotaru's words, a bit calm after venting a bit. She leans her head on the high school student's shoulder.

"Thank you…"

"Well, you're not gonna thank me in a second."

"Why's that?"

Amu looks up to notice Hotaru pointing at the digital alarm clock on Amu's nightstand, the numbers taunting her with the late time.

"Bed time."

Amu groans in frustration before getting settled in her bed. Hotaru places her sleeping bag next to the new Chara, wanting to take of her, no matter what.

* * *

Hotaru was currently awake, having forgotten her extra uniform at her house. She quickly writes a note to Amu, saying that she was going to continue watching over the new Chara and why she left. She slips out, her footsteps quiet.

Hotaru quickly rushes over to her house, her bag on her shoulder, the basket in her right hand. As she reaches her house, she quickly unlocks the door before heading toward her room. She carefully places the basket on her bed as she changes into a clean uniform.

"What're you going to do Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru sighs as she ties her usual ribbon in her hair, her body only clad in her shirt, her lower half only covered by her underwear.

"I'm not sure. Lily, Kia, do you mind staying with her until she wakes up? I don't want her freaking out because of her unusual surroundings."

Lily happily nods her head as she makes herself comfortable next to the basket. Kia absentmindedly nods as well, the ninja sitting carefully on the headboard.

"Thanks you guys."

Hotaru continues to fix her hair when a small knocking noise causes her to turn her head to her glass sliding door, amethyst eyes watching intently. He speaks, his voice a bit muffled.

"I like that color on you."

Hotaru walks over, an eyebrow raised.

"What color?"

"Light pink."

As he speaks this, his finger points to Hotaru's legs, her eyes following the direction. It's when she notices her lack of clothing that she turns a bright red, her hands quickly grabbing the curtain near her door to cover her lower half.

"W-what're you doing here?"

Ikuto only smirks at her reaction as he leans his forehead against the glass.

"Here to walk you to school."

Hotaru's eyes widen as she motions for one of her Chara to grab her skirt.

"Oh, really? Wanting to further the illusion?"

She giggles slightly as she walks out of his view, quickly slipping into her skirt before walking back to the door.

"I'll be down in a sec. Wait for me at the door, please. I can't have Onii-chan thinking that you coming to balcony like this happens a lot."

"But it-"

"W-wait at the door!"

Ikuto only chuckles as he jumps down, Hotaru sighing relief.

* * *

Hotaru was currently in class, her work already done. She had gone over her paper several times, deciding that it was correct when a small vibration in her skirt goes off. She jumps slightly, not having expected it. She reaches into her pocket curiously, pulling out a small cell phone.

'_What the…?'_

On the screen are small letters announcing one new text message. She looks around quickly, before hiding the phone under her desk and clicking 'View'. The screen switches to another, a small sentence on the screen. Her eyes scan over it quickly.

'_**From: Handsome**_

_**What do you think?'**_

Hotaru's eyebrows furrow a bit as she quickly responds back.

'_**From: Beautiful**_

_**Who is this? And whose cell phone is this?'**_

As Hotaru hit send, she noticed the automatic 'From' name.

'_Beautiful? Why does…?'_

Hotaru almost drops the phone as it begins to vibrate once more. She quickly looks around before opening the new message. She's a bit surprised that the new message was actually just a picture this time. One of Yoru. She then reads the text below it.

'_**From: Handsome**_

_**The phone is from your brother. It's yours. I added my number.'**_

A small smile appears on Hotaru's face as she holds the phone to herself, ecstatic about the gift. She response back excitedly before slipping the phone into her pocket.

'_**From: Beautiful**_

_**It's amazing. I love it. :D'**_

Ikuto smirks as he reads Hotaru's latest message, kind of glad about her brother buying her a phone. After much discussion, both had found it best in case something happened. Ikuto's eyes turn stern as he begins to look out the window.

'_It's just a precaution…'_

* * *

It was after lunch and Hotaru had already thanked her brother and was actually in the process of texting Amu. Amu had been so happy about hearing of the new cell, especially since the pink-haired girl had needed to vent a bit on the day so far.

'_**From: Amu-chan**_

_**Yeah, so that's the gist of it. I supposedly fail as a Joker. **__**L**__**'**_

Hotaru shakes her head before replying back, already beginning to walk home since class had ended a bit early.

'_**From: Hotaru**_

_**Don't think that way. You'll show her, trust me. Hey, I'm going to the grocery store, but tomorrow I don't have a 7th**__** period. Want me to come along on your usual inspection?'**_

'_**From: Amu-chan**_

_**Of course!! I'm sure the others will understand! Can't wait!'**_

Hotaru giggles a bit when a shout halts her steps. She turns her head a bit, trying to distinguish the direction when another familiar voice is heard. Hotaru tiptoes through the small park that she was walking by before pressing herself against a wall.

"You're taller."

"You're after the humpty lock, aren't you? That's why you're getting close to Hinamori-san and Nikaidou-san, right?"

Hotaru's eyes widen at Tadase's accusation toward the one who holds her heart. She leans against the wall, her back sliding on it until she sits on the ground.

"You're planning to take it away. Just like you took my dumpty key."

Hotaru's ears catch a scoff.

"Took away? I only retrieved what was mine."

"Shut up!"

"You only befriended me for that purpose and I won't forgive you for it!"

A hand raises to Hotaru's mouth, her fingers desperately trying to hold the sob she was holding back.

'No…this can't be happening…'

"You're not cute anymore. When you were younger you used to follow me around everywhere."

"Shut up!"

Hotaru's shaking stops as a certain memory comes back to her, Ikuto's words clear.

(Flashback)

"This has been wonderful."

Hotaru turns her sight off to the side, the images spinning around her. Ikuto watches her with interested eyes, waiting for her to continue.

"I never knew that parks like this could be so fun. I'm glad I finally went to one. It's such a change for me."

Ikuto leans his head into his hand.

"Things change unfortunately. Everyone becomes older, distant…This amusement park is an example. So many kids used to come here, and now it's going to disappear soon. Everything is coming to an end. Only those who really care about you notice the small differences."

(End Flashback)

'He…does he…?'

"It's not fair bringing up stuff from a long time ago!"

"But it's true. Who taught you how to ride a bicycle?"

"Shut up!!"

Hotaru snaps out of her thoughts as she hears the rustling of leaves.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with Amu and Hotaru. It depends on how I'm feeling and which way the tail points."

All is quiet before she hears Tadase sigh. Hotaru hits her head on the brick wall behind her, her eyes closed in frustration.

"Nikaidou-san?"

Hotaru looks up, caught off guard by young boy. She rushes to get up only to end up slipping on book bag, her papers flying everywhere.

"H-hi Tadase-kun…Funny meeting you here."

Tadase's eyes soften as he smiles softly.

"You…heard everything, didn't you?"

Hotaru blows a few strands out of her face as she begins to gather her things.

"…yeah…I did…"

Tadase rushes over, helping to collect a few things. After collecting everything, Tadase hands them to Hotaru, her eyes shifted towards the ground.

"I'm sure…that he doesn't mean what he said."

Hotaru doesn't respond before sending Tadase a fake smile.

"Yeah…I…I gotta go Tadase-kun. I'll see you later."

Tadase only watches helplessly as Hotaru runs off.

* * *

Lily and Kia were sitting by unconscious Chara, Lily spinning a ribbon while Kia sharpened a small dagger. Lily tilts her head as she turns to the angel, a worried look in her eyes.

"Do you think she'll wake up soon? She's been out all morning."

Kia puts her dagger away before floating toward the small basket. She nudges the Chara a bit before beginning to yell.

"Hey! Wake up!"

Lily giggles before beginning to join in too. After a few minutes of this, they notice the Chara stir before bolting up suddenly.

"Gasp! Where am I?!"

"Oh, she's awake!"

"You're at Hotaru-chan's house."

The small angel suddenly flies up, a small shriek sounding out.

"Ooohhh Nnnnoooo!! This is the biggest blunder in my life!! I've been kidnapped!!"

Hotaru's Chara watch as the angel begins to fly in circles, the Chara's imagination obviously going wild.

"Hey, calm down."

"Yeah, we're not going to hurt you."

They both flinch as the angel then proceeds to fly into a window before falling to the floor. Kia sighs heavily as Lily rushes over.

"Ow…that hurt."

"We told you to calm down. Are you alright?"

The angel suddenly sits up, a shocked expression on her face.

"Wait, did you say Hotaru-chan?!"

Kia crosses her arms.

"Awhile back, but yes, we did. She's our creator."

The two watch as she begins to shake, sweat running down her face.

"Hotaru…..I don't know her last name…Nnnoooo!!"

"What? Hey!"

They watch helplessly as the angel rushes to her egg before hiding inside. Lily tries knocking on the outside but no answer.

"Hey, what's wrong? Hello~!"

Kia adjusts her frames before sitting next to the egg.

"This is going to be a long day."

* * *

Hotaru had several bags in her hands, a bit exhausted by the trip. She slips out of her shoes as she walks over to the kitchen and begins to put a few things away. She then turns her head to the stairs.

'_I wonder if that Chara woke up.'_

Hotaru decides to check it out. As she reaches the top of the stairs, she hears a few voices.

"Really?! X eggs?!"

Hotaru's eyes widen at this, her feet rushing to her door. She opens the door as a new voice enters her ears.

"Please…someone…help Utau-chan."

Hotaru's mind blanks as the name echoes in her head.

'_Utau is behind all of this?!'_

* * *

**Author's Note: Wow, this is actually taking longer than I thought it would. I was sure that I'd skip a lot of things, but after rethinking a few things I realized that a lot of the stuff in the original storyline is needed for Hotaru's story to progress, so yeah. Sorry for those who are hoping to see a progression in Hotaru's relationship with Ikuto, but it's going to pick up. I promise. Ikuto will realize that he's in denial…eventually. Lol I'm so evil. Review, onegai!**


	15. Let the Duel Begin!

Author's Note: Yay, next chapter is here!! So, for those of you who have been keeping up, I appreciate every review and alert. I jump for joy and now a lot of customers at my job look at me funny. Lol Hope you enjoy!

Rating: T

_**Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!**_

**Dedication: I love athrun: for sticking with me from the beginning!**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Let the Duel Begin!!**

"So, Utau has been character changing with Il to turn heart eggs into X eggs. This is going to be more complicated than I thought."

Hotaru sighs a bit as the Chara, now known as El, hangs her head in apology. Kia and Lily speak up.

"If it's Utau-chan, we have to stop her then."

"She's right, we can't let this continue."

All three turn to Hotaru, waiting for an answer when the lavender-haired girl suddenly lies back, her head hanging off of her mattress.

"I don't know you guys…It's all hopeless…"

Kia and Lily's eyes widen as they turn to each other.

"Hotaru-chan, did something happen today?"

Hotaru closes her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Well…It might seem like Ikuto is only using me to get close to Amu…for the humpty lock."

Kia and Lily are about to respond when El suddenly rushes forward.

"You mean Utau-chan's brother? That Ikuto?"

Hotaru sits up, a forlorn look in her eyes, as she nods her head.

"You love him, don't you? That's why this is tearing you apart."

Hotaru doesn't respond as she buries her face in one of her pillows. The angel suddenly becomes frustrated.

"You might be Utau-chan's rival, but I can't take you're giving up attitude!! The heroine is never like this! You have to win him with all of your might!"

Hotaru raises her head slightly, hair hiding her face.

"What's the point? I'm only his fake girlfriend…he doesn't care about me."

A small growl escapes El's small mouth as she begins to tug on Hotaru's hair.

"That doesn't matter! You love him! You can't give up that easily!! Win his love!!"

Hotaru's back is to a wall, El's finger in her face.

"O-O-okay. I-I'll try."

"You don't try! You do!"

A sweat drop falls down Hotaru's face as she shrinks into a ball.

"A-alright…"

* * *

Thanks to several projects, Hotaru had had a valid excuse to not go to lunch with Ikuto for the day, her nerves still jumping from yesterday's conversation. Her feet were rushing outside the school door and toward Amu's school. Hotaru had promised that she was going to help her today, and that's what she was going to do. All three Chara were behind her.

"So, we're hunting X eggs today?"

Hotaru nods her head, her hair down in two low pigtails after some 'convincing' from El.

"Yes, Amu needs someone to talk to, so I offered to come along today."

El's face becomes one of euphoria, sparkles glittering around the small angel.

"Hotaru, even though you're a bit weak willed when it comes to love, you're a good person."

Hotaru blushes, a bit embarrassed at the compliment.

"Thank you…"

School coming into view, Hotaru takes the directions given to her by Amu to the garden where the guardians meet. After awhile, a glass wall comes into a view, Hotaru's mind in awe as she walks inside.

"Whoa…this is amazing…"

"Who's there?"

Hotaru turns her head, her eyes locking with that of Kairi. A smile erupts on her face.

"Oh, Hotaru-san!?"

"Kairi-kun!"

Hotaru rushes over, El a bit confused as the girl throws her arms around the disgruntled boy. El turns to Kia.

"Who's he?"

Kia adjusts her frames as she answers her.

"Oh, that's Kairi. He and Hotaru used to hang out when they were kids."

El nods her head as she pulls out a small notepad, her hand quick to scribble down a few notes.

"Hotaru has more than one suitor."

Kia and Lily raise an eyebrow.

"More than one?"

"Suitor?"

Hotaru pulls back, a dark hue on Kairi's face.

"So, you're in the guardians?"

Kairi nods his head, a folder in his hand.

"Yes, and I've already compiled a schedule and learned everything that I've needed to know about them."

Hotaru giggles a bit.

"You always were thorough in your work. Oh, Musashi."

Musashi nods his head, the little samurai calm as ever.

"How are you this evening Hotaru-san?"

"Good, thanks for asking. So…"

Hotaru then turns her attention to Kairi, a warm smile on her face.

"…is it alright if I accompany Amu-chan on today's search? I promise to do my best."

Kairi looks away, no longer able to take Hotaru's gaze.

"I-I don't know…I have a schedule, and I don't want to throw it off in any way."

Hotaru's eyebrows furrow as she leans forward, a pleading look in her orbs. She pouts her lower lip slightly, her face one that very few could deny.

"Please Kairi-kun. Amu-chan was looking forward to it, and I'd really appreciate it."

After a few silent seconds, Kairi hangs his head in defeat, a long sigh emitted.

"Alright."

Hotaru squeals happily before hugging Kairi, the young boy flustered.

"Thank you, thank you!"

"Hotaru-chan!"

"Hotaru!"

Hotaru looks up, releasing Kairi as she does so. The others are all smiles as they head over, one left behind, a stoic look on her face. Hotaru hugs each of them, obviously excited about the day. Yaya is the first to speak up.

"So, what're you doing here Hotaru-chan?"

"Probably the same reason why I'm here."

All turn around to see Kukai, their attention now on the new middle school student. A slight blush crosses Hotaru's face before she quickly shakes her head.

"Kukai!"

"Kukai-kun!"

Hotaru watches with a warm smile, Amu's eyes starting to water a bit.

"Hey, thought I'd drop by. My campus is right behind yours after all."

A few of them laugh nervously, the realization that he was right sinking in.

"Kukai…"

Hotaru and Kukai turn toward Amu, the young girl starting to tear up. Kukai panics a bit, his body flinching at the sight

"Ah?! Are you okay?"

The others turn to Amu, concern etched in their features.

"Hinamori-san?"

"Amu-chan?"

Amu begins to rub her eyes, trying to hide the evidence though the damage was done.

"It's nothing…"

Hotaru eyes Amu for a bit before turning to Kukai, his eyes meeting hers.

"Kukai…Would you like to join us today?"

Kukai's mouth breaks into a grin.

"Sounds like a great idea."

Kairi adjusts his glasses a bit, his expression one of exasperation…and something else that others couldn't place. Hotaru turns to Kairi, a small smile on her face, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

"If that's alright with you, Kairi-kun."

Kairi's face turns red before he nods his head solemnly.

"It seems fine to me."

Kukai yells for joy before pulling Hotaru and Amu close to him, a joyful expression on his face.

"No problem then!"

Noticing the silence, Kukai turns his attention the other guardians, Tadase and the others eyes shifting between Hotaru and Kairi, a question in their eyes.

"How do…?"

"…you know…?"

"…Class President?"

Hotaru and Kairi's eyebrows raise at the nickname, both a little baffled at the choice. After awhile, Hotaru smiles widely, Kukai's arm still around her shoulders.

"Well, Kairi's sister and my brother used to date a long time ago and because of this, Kairi and I have known each other."

Kairi nods his head, showing that what she was saying was true. Everyone's eyes are pretty much bugging from their head, obviously shocked by the information. After a few seconds, both of the two begin to grimace under the stares. Hotaru is the first to stop it.

"Alright….Let's go you guys!"

Hotaru laughs nervously, unsure of what to say. Kukai, seeming to get the uncomfortable air decides to help by beginning to drag the two out, a goodbye yelled from a distance. Kukai's speed was great, Amu and Hotaru having trouble keeping up with him. Kukai yells for joy before turning to the two girls.

"Feels good, huh you two? Don't you just feel refreshed when you move your body?"

"Huh?"

Amu was about to ask something, when Kukai interrupts.

"You're worried about something, right?"

All three had stopped running at this point, Kukai direction his attention to Amu.

"Can't get along with the new members? You've lost your confidence and want to quit being a guardian?"

Amu shrinks back, only confirming Kukai's words, Hotaru watching the two as she struggles to catch her breath.

"How did you know?"

"I'm better than Nobuko Saeki, right? Just kidding. I could tell by looking at you. I wasn't the Jack Chair for nothing."

Pointing a finger to himself, a confident smile on his face, he continues, as Amu begins to tear up some more.

"You know you can talk to me about it, right?"

Hotaru walks over, a warm smile on her face.

"You can always talk to us about it."

"Oh…You guuuuyyyyssss…"

"Ah, don't cry again!"

"Amu-chan!"

* * *

Hotaru, Amu, and Kukai were currently walking down a bricked path, Amu having spilled everything that was distressing her as of late, each with a cone of ice cream in their hands.

"And so you lost your confidence in being the Joker?"

"Yeah…"

Hotaru was watching sympathetically, a bit worried about her friend.

"Maybe I'm not like my old self, but I don't know what my true character is like either. I-"

Suddenly, Kukai pokes Amu with his ice cream, the pink-haired female jumping from the cold sensation. Hotaru only giggles, understanding where Kukai was going with this.

"Idiot. I don't know what my true self is like either."

The girl's eyes widen, obviously a bit shocked by this new bit of information. Hotaru's free hand brushes some stray strands of hair behind her ear as a small breeze blows through.

"Really?"

"Of course. I don't know whether I should join the soccer team, the basketball team, or track."

Hotaru sweat drops, not having expected the simple problem.

"Oh…that's it?"

"What do you mean? It's a bit deal."

Amu speaks up.

"Oh, but you were the captain of the soccer team, so I thought…"

"Oh, I do like soccer and I was invited to join the team. But it's just this image people have of me that I have to play soccer that I want to challenge myself and try new things."

As he speaks, Kukai begins to look up at the sky, a slight sparkle in his eye.

"I don't know what it's like to be my true self, but it's more interesting that way."

Amu's eyes soften, trying to understand his words.

"Even if you don't know yourself? Even if you're confused?"

Both turn to Hotaru at her words, her head down as she tries to organize her thoughts. Kukai only smiles before throwing an arm around both of their shoulders.

"If you don't know, it means you can become anything you want, right?"

Both girl's cheeks take on a slight pink hue, both touched by his moving words. Hotaru is the first to smile, the expression bright and cheerful.

"Actually, I was feeling this way when Daichi was born. I wanted to know what I could do. How far I could challenge myself. My guardian character was born from those feelings."

Amu turns to him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"So, you think it's okay to be worried? Even if you don't know yourself?"

Kukai's cheeky grin only returns as he gives a thumbs up.

"Of course!!"

As Amu begins to smile, a sudden attack directs their attention somewhere else. Having seated themselves on a park bench earlier, all three now rose to their feet, a feminine voice cutting their talk short.

"Ow!"

"Found you."

"Hey, my ice cream!"

"Hey!"

Their eyes land on the pop idol singer, her expression sinister in a way.

"Amu Hinamori."

Hotaru steps forward, her body slightly covering Amu's.

"Utau!"

Utau's eyebrows lower at the sight of her love rival, her nerves jumping a bit.

"Hotaru Nikaidou!! What're you doing here?!"

Hotaru's eyebrow rises slightly, the confusion showing in her eyes.

"Because Amu is my friend."

Utau only growls before a small voice interrupts the stare down.

"Utau-chan! You came for me?"

Utau's direction changed to the small angel Chara, no surprise at all on her face.

"El? I thought you were gone but you became Hotaru's Chara instead?"

Il steps in, a vicious smile on her face.

"You're the enemy now!"

Hotaru and El's eyes widen at her detached words, Hotaru stepping forward to defend the sweet angel.

"No, it's not that!"

"It doesn't matter…"

Slowly, Utau raises an X egg, Amu's eyes widening at the sight.

"…I have a new guardian egg."

"That's my egg!!"

Utau's smile on increases as she pretty much taunts Amu with her egg.

"Yours? I think you got it wrong. This egg doesn't approve of you as it's owner."

Utau's voice begins to rise in volume, small black bat like wings appearing on her back.

"As proof, it hasn't hatched yet. That's why it left you! Now, it has chosen me instead!!"

Everyone takes on a defensive stance, the wind beginning to shift, showing that Utau was ready to fight.

"Come on, fight me. I haven't either of your character transformations yet. I want to see it."

Hotaru takes a slight step forward, wanting Amu to control herself, knowing that if she stepped in she could do something reckless.

"Utau-san, give Amu-chan her egg back."

Kukai was currently in the back, his mind reeling with questions.

"I don't know what's going on, but Daichi, is it possible to change owners?"

The small skateboard Chara shrugs his shoulders, the star pin in his hair reflecting a bit of sunlight.

"I don't know, but Guardian Character's change as the owner's feelings change. That's why some get X marks or break. So if the Guardian Character's seek a new owner, it might be possible…"

"Then defeat me. If you win I'll return Amu's egg. Even if I win, I don't need El back, but instead…"

Pointing a finger in Hotaru's face, Utau laughs a bit, confidence oozing out of her.

"…I want you to leave Ikuto alone! That includes pretending to be his girlfriend! If anyone should be playing that role, it should be me!"

Hotaru's eyes widen, the terms of the duel throwing her off a bit.

'_Give up on Ikuto..? Am I willing to do that?'_

_(Flashback)_

"_I don't know what I'm going to do with Amu and Hotaru. It depends on how I'm feeling and which way the tail points."_

_(End flashback)_

Hotaru's eyes narrow, her mind now set on Amu.

"Fine."

* * *

**Author's Note: Yay! Another chapter finished!! I got over the block so these should be coming out more frequently when I gain access to the internet. I love you guys who are still keeping up with me!! *sob* Review please~?**


	16. Transformation Party

**Author's Note: Another chapter finished!!! I've gotten over another lapse, and honestly, I already have the next 5 finished, but you shall get that them once a week like usual. I need time to write the others anyways. So, let's go!!**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: To all of my readers...since no one reviewed the last chapter. lol  
**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

**Disclaimer: You see these every once in awhile, but yeah! I don't own Shugo Chara. Peach-Pit does...I own Hotaru though, her and her cuteness.**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Transformation Party**

The two had stared down for awhile, mainly due to Hotaru being lost in her thoughts. She was already beginning to regret her decision a bit, her mind running through all of the times she had spent with Ikuto.

'_If I lose…I'll never be able to do any of those things anymore….'_

Eyes closed tightly, fists clenched, she was struggling to hold onto her resolve.

"_I don't know what I'm going to do with Amu and Hotaru. It depends on how I'm feeling and which way the tail points."_

"Hotaru!"

Hotaru's eyes snapped open at the sound of her name, Kukai now defending her from oncoming X eggs. She looks at him worriedly, guilt seeping into her conscious for spacing out.

"Get your act together or you're going to lose!"

Utau's melodic voice fills the air, her appearance one of doom though.

"Don't you see? I like competition. We are polished and shine when we win and lose. That's why…"

Utau then turns to El, the small Chara already ready to cry.

"…I don't need El. Even if you're kind, there's no point if you're weak. I just need Il and the diamond egg."

"Utau-chan…"

Hotaru's eyes widened at this, her mind knowing that deep down she was wrong. She knew that these thoughts had gone through her mind but in a vice-versa way. She had hated being weak, but after awhile, she had come to realize that those kind are weak to some extent.

"But…El was born from your heart too. You're going to throw her away because she's weak?"

Utau only smirks, her clothes beginning to change to a red devil outfit. She raises a hand, dark butterflies beginning to shoot from her hands.

"You want the diamond egg back, right?! Then fight!!"

Hotaru could only shield her head as the attack began to hit her, her body flinching from each hit.

"Utau, wait a second, I don't want to fight-Agh!!"

Hotaru had been cut off as an X egg hit her directly, knocking her back several feet, her body rolling on the ground. She struggles to her hands, her body trembling from the attacks.

"Idiot. Adults don't mean it when they tell us not to compete. Everyone is ranked and we compete to move up. If you're too nice then you're just going to fall behind and get ran over."

Kukai flips his skateboard up, Hotaru finally managing to stand on her feet once more.

"Whoa…She does have a point. Sports are fun because there's competition and we all improve to win."

Amu flinches, Hotaru a bit confused by the turn of events.

"Hey, Kukai! Come back to our side!"

Kukai turns to them, his hand signaling with a thumbs up, showing that everything was alright.

"Leave the X eggs to me. You guys fight all you want."

Amu was shocked.

"Hey!!"

Amu's gaze turns to Hotaru, the girl having been silent for awhile. Hotaru's attention was on her hands, her thoughts running rapid.

'_I have to win this…If I don't, Amu won't get her egg back…and…'_

She gulps audibly, her body beginning to tremble once more.

'…_I won't get to see Ikuto again.'_

"But…I don't want to fight or compete. Especially with you."

Utau was a bit thrown off guard by Hotaru's words, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"What? Why?"

Hotaru raises her head, a warm smile on her face despite her body shaking with fear.

"Because I like you. You're mean, but you're honest with yourself. And you sing as well. You're similar to me in some ways."

The blonde-haired girl seems to take slight offense as one of her eyebrows raise skeptically.

"Huh? What're you saying?"

"Besides…"

Hotaru turns her attention to the small angel by her side, her expression soft and comforting.

"…I know that you are weak, but kind at heart."

At Hotaru's words, Amu in awe from the small speech, a glow begins to light up the area. All turn to Amu's humpty lock, Hotaru and Utau trying to shield their eyes.

"What's going on?"

Hotaru feels herself begin to float, her eyes widening in astonishment. Her hands rise above her head as ribbons begin to wrap around her body, her hair cascading down her back as her ribbons disappear. Utau's stance turns defensive as she watches, outraged at what was going on before her.

'_Is she Character Transforming with El?!'_

As the glow wears off, Hotaru's feet gingerly touch the ground, her outfit having a 180 degree turn. Her out fit was a frilly dress, the sleeves puffing out, a ribbon tied under breast only for the skirt to split open, the top layer ending at her knees while the white bottom layer only reached mid-thigh. A white ribbon was around her neck, the cross from her school uniform in the middle, long ribbons tied to her wrists. On her head, was a headband, small wings on the sides, much like the ones that had sprouted from her back, her feet adorned with sandals the tied up to her knees. Hotaru examined herself, her face red from the girly outfit.

'_I…What happened?'_

Hotaru's eyes land on Utau, who at the moment was currently glowing herself. Hotaru unfortunately didn't miss the sight of the diamond egg hatching, Amu's gasp confirmation enough that Utau was transforming too. As Utau's outfit settles, the design a bit revealing, Il floats out, having been kicked out. A loud sound from behind causes Hotaru to turn around, Kukai's outfit resembling that of a sky pilot.

'_He Character transformed too?!'_

The Chara seemed to be reading their thoughts.

"Everyone character transformed except for Amu!"

**[Yay, I finally had my first character transformation! I don't know how I did it with Hotaru-chan, but I'm happy!]**

"El…"

Hotaru's mind was racing for an answer to what had just occurred. Her eyes wandered from Kukai only for it to land on the Humpty Lock on Amu's tie. A bell goes off in her head as she remembers the bright light.

'_Could it be the Humpty Lock's power?'_

"Shining Black!"

Hotaru's thoughts disperse at the attack hitting her, her arms rising to block what she could. Utau's maniacal laugh seems to fill the air as she continues to attack.

"So this is Dark Jewel's power! How does it feel Hotaru?!"

Hotaru manages to dodge the beam, her hair billowing around her carelessly. The Chara pitch in, all of them worried.

"Hotaru-chan, you have to fight!"

"You can only dodge for so long!"

"Fight back!"

Hotaru's eyebrows furrow as she manages to sidestep another blow.

'_El? Don't you have any attacks?'_

**[Um, uh….]**

"White flag!"

In Hotaru's hands, a white flag appears, her hands beginning to swing it back and forth in surrender. Hotaru stops, realizing what she is doing.

"El!!"

**[I'm sorry…I don't want to fight against Utau-chan!]**

Utau only chuckles at the scene, her laugh haughty.

"How dumb. Looks like El is useless after all."

The pop idol raises a hand in Hotaru's direction.

"I'll finish you off."

**[Utau-chan…]**

Just as Utau is about to throw the finishing blow, the transformations fall through, both girls returning to their original attire. Hotaru inspects herself, her hands slightly pulling at her school uniform.

"Huh?"

Kukai rushes over, his own transformation beginning to dissipate.

"The Character Transformation came undone? What happened Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru looks up, a dejected look in her eyes.

"I don't know. My powers disappeared all of a sudden."

"You ran out of batteries maybe?"

All four look up at the new voice, Hotaru and Utau's eyes widening, cheeks blazing, at the sight of none other than Ikuto. The blue-haired boy jumps down, a smirk on his face.

"That was an amazing one-on-one battle."

"Ikuto!"

Hotaru's eyes wander over to Utau, her mind knowing that Utau's disheveled appearance matched her own. Both quickly rise to their feet, Utau's gaze following the high-school student intently.

"Ikuto…."

She lowers her head, afraid to face him.

"…were you watching the whole time?"

Ikuto pays her no mind as he walks by, his walk calm and slow.

"Not really, I just got here a minute ago."

He stops in front of the trio, all stepping back slightly as Ikuto holds out a bag.

"Here. It's Ice cream. Utau dropped yours."

The Chara quickly float over, their eyes widening in delight.

"Oh~ Ice cream!"

"It's so cold!"

Kukai eagerly takes the bag, light seeming to emanate from him as he takes in the sight.

"All right! Thanks!"

Hotaru's eyes drop to her feet, her voice barley above a whisper.

"Is this to make up for the ice cream Utau ruined?"

Ikuto only nods his head, his gaze solely on the lavender-haired girl.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

Utau's head snaps up, her temper apparent.

"Why are you apologizing?!"

"What do you mean, why? You should be apologizing too."

Utau crosses her arms across her chest defiantly, all eyes on the two and the scene unfolding.

"No."

"Apologize."

"No, I'm not the bad one here."

"Utau."

Hotaru notices as tears start to well up in the idol's eyes as she responds back.

"Why do you always side with Hotaru?"

Ikuto doesn't respond, but instead, turning his gaze back to the girl before him, they're eyes locking onto each other. Hotaru gasps, her heart beginning to beat faster.

'_Ikuto…'_

"Idiot!!"

All are in shock as Utau suddenly pushes Ikuto over, the girl easily hovering over him as she continues to pound, softly, his chest with her fists.

"I hate you, Ikuto!!"

"Ow…hey, stop it…Utau!"

Hotaru's head tilts slightly, never having seen this side of Utau before. Utau's tears don't go unnoticed.

"You always worry about Hotaru! You know how I feel!"

"How you feel? But…?!"

Ikuto in unable to finish his sentence as Utau suddenly pulls his face to her own, their lips locking. Kukai and Amu freeze in their spot as Hotaru's blood seems to run cold.

'_No….'_

Ikuto struggles to remove the girl on top of him, his words to desist unheard by the blonde singer.

"Hey….stop…"

Kukai's face is a deep red as he speaks his thoughts.

"Oh, wow…I've never seen a kiss like that live!"

Amu doesn't say anything as she turns her attention to the silent girl in front.

'Oh Hotaru…'

Ikuto finally manages to pull Utau back enough to stop her onslaught of kisses, his eyebrows lowered in anger.

"Pwah! Stop it, I'm going to get mad."

"But…"

"We're siblings!"

"But…"

The words seem to echo around the ignored trio before Kukai and Amu's voice rise in unison.

"WHHAAaaat?!??!?!?"

"Siblings?!?!?!?"

Hotaru's shoulders slump in relief, her eyes glistening from unshed tears.

"Brother?"

"Sister?"

Utau does not falter as she wipes her mouth, her annoyance at the situation apparent.

"That's right…So?"

Cheeks red, tears still fresh, she answers their questions.

"My real name is Utau Tsukiyomi. I'm Ikuto's little sister, but that doesn't mean my feelings for him aren't real!"

Il only chuckles as she adds her own comment.

"Hoshina is her stage name."

'_Really?!'_

Hotaru's victory is short lived though as Utau continues to cry, her question seeming to be toward herself than Ikuto.

"But…why? Why do you care about Hotaru? Ikuto's never cared for any other girl like this."

Hotaru's eyes widen before turning to Ikuto who had just wiped his own mouth on his sleeve. Hotaru's cheeks redden slightly at the sight of him when Utau interrupts her trance, her voice rising.

"I've slapped away every little insect buzzing around Ikuto. He may have fan girls, but even the few who have gotten close were chased off by yours truly."

Hotaru raises her head, ready to hold her ground against the girl before her.

"Look, I'm only pretending to be his girlfriend to keep the other fan girls away. Trust me…"

Ikuto's eyes widen slightly at Hotaru's words.

"…that's all I am."

Ikuto's steps are quick as he strides between the two girls, his hands quick as, in one swift movement, he lifts Hotaru's head, his lips pressed to hers. Kukai and Amu watch in awe at the scene, as Utau's tears seem to cascade more, her expression one of disbelief. He pulls away, the face in his hands a deep red, his smirk somewhat comforting.

"Going cold I see…Did you forget about our date at the theme park?"

Hotaru's breath catches in her throat at the reminder of the magical night the other day, the event seeming to crush out the words spoken yesterday by her love. Suddenly, a chill runs up Hotaru's spine, her head turning warily to Ikuto's sister, an ominous aura surrounding the girl. A small shriek escapes Hotaru's lips as she steps back slightly, her body beginning to break into a sweat. Utau finally pushes a finger in Hotaru's face, her temper point having been reached.

"I wont' forgive you, Hotaru Nikaidou!! I'm never, never, never going to lose to you!!!"

Utau turns around, her chin held high. Ikuto's eyes linger on Hotaru a bit longer before he too walks off. As the Tsukiyomi siblings disappear out of sight, Hotaru slumps to her but, Kukai and Amu yelling in surprise as they rush to her side.

"Hotaru-chan, are you okay?"

"Hotaru!"

She looks up at the two before leaning her head forward against them, her mind beginning to fall into a depressed state.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

**Author's Note: For those reading this, the next chapter is one of my personal faves!!!**


	17. Drama on the Ice

**Author's Note: I love you guys so much, and because I couldn't help myself, I'll post two this weekend, I think I owe you guys anyways for some week...back...Yeah!! Here you go!!! Hope you guys like!!**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: To Hikari1796 for their review!! Yay!!!**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 17: Drama on the Ice**

Hotaru, long hair billowing behind her in a low ponytail, bangs pulled to the side by small barrettes, was in her own little world. Summer only meant one thing to her…

…competition.

The national skating competition was coming up and she had to prepare. Ikuto, of course, had no idea. She had been making up excuses so he wouldn't walk her home. She didn't know why but Ikuto had become more attentive ever since her brother had quit Easter. At the moment, as her thoughts struggled to make sense, she was idly skating in circles. She didn't need a teacher anymore thankfully, and her parents always let her know when they scheduled the ice rink for her. Her emerald eyes scan the vast audience seating, yet right now it was empty.

Sighing, she returns to her current routine, her hand signaling to one of the employees upstairs to turn on the music she had handed them. She slides into position in the center of the rink, her arms hugging her body tightly. The slow melody picks up, her head lifting slowly as she slowly begins to skate.

**(The song I've decided to use is Love Story by Taylor Swift.)**

Her body turns, her legs still moving her backwards as her arms begin to tell a story. Her face softens as she imagines when she first met Ikuto, her arms reaching toward someone, only for them to fall hopelessly to her side. As the chorus starts, she pulls herself into the air, doing a triple axel, her body easily relaxing into a spin, her speed slow to express her feelings.

She had chosen this song for a reason.

Jumps, twirls, her moves graceful and soft to show that she really got into the song. It's when the beat picks up more that she begins to do more jumps, whether singles or doubles, they're pulled off perfectly. In her story, the ending was happy, with her hugging herself at the end, as the two in the song reconcile. As the song slows to a stop, she spins in one place, her poses graceful before slowing to a stop, her eyes closed at the end, her breathing slightly heavy.

It's when she hears clapping that her head snaps up, her body relaxing at the sight of her brother. She skates over to the side, taking the towel offered to her.

"I think this one is my favorite."

Hotaru giggles, not having expected that.

"Really? Why's that?"

Nikaidou shrugs, straining to find the right words.

"This one seems…more emotional. You seem to really connect with the song. The routine, the story…it seems you relate to it and it forces your heart into it."

Hotaru's cheeks tinge pink as she waves off her brother's notions, trying to hide the fact that her recent feelings had to do with the song selection. It's her brother's next question though that catches her completely off guard.

"So, how is Ikuto doing?"

She stutters a bit, trying to find the best way to answer this.

"U-Um…Well, I-I don't k-know as of recently. I-I've been sort of ditching him t-to come to practice."

It's completely quiet, Hotaru's body tensing with each second when her brother suddenly begins to laugh, the noise literally knocking her off of her feet, the ice freezing her butt. She hurriedly stands, a bewildered look on her face.

"What's so funny?!"

Nikaidou rubs a tear out of his eye, obviously having enjoyed her answer.

"Nothing….I just thought for sure you would've told him."

Hotaru shakes her head, a bit embarrassed at her reasoning for not having told the boy that haunted her dreams.

"I can't…I'm a bit embarrassed by this honestly. Besides, I don't want him to get caught in the publicity. You know how around nationals the paparazzi seems to follow my every move."

Hotaru had her back to her brother at this point, so she didn't know that her brother had tensed at her words.

* * *

"So, how is practice going for you?"

Hotaru shakes her head, her smile soft as she shrugs.

"Not sure…Only my brother has seen my routine at this moment, but I've asked Kairi to come by today. You mind coming by as well? I need all the opinions I can get. The nationals are this weekend."

Amu happily nods her head, always ecstatic when it came to Hotaru's skating.

"Alright then, I'll meet you there. I have to go get dressed."

Hotaru nods as she waves goodbye to the pink-haired girl, her feet quick to direct her to the rink. Her mind wanders to her excuse for today. She was starting to feel guilty at ditching Ikuto.

_(Flashback)_

"_I'm sorry, I can't. My brother has actually started getting strict with me. He doesn't want me to hang out with you anymore than I have to."_

_Not completely a lie._

_After the talk at her practice, her brother had suddenly told her to not hang out with Ikuto any more than necessary, at least until nationals were over. She didn't understand, but when he grumbled at the insects that buzz around her every move, she agreed with no argument._

"_I don't understand why. You're brother seemed fine with me. What suddenly changed his mind?"_

_Hotaru shrugs, her eyes downcast. She hated lying to Ikuto. She sighs._

"_I'm sorry, but I have to go."_

_She hurries off, not noticing Ikuto's distressed look or slightly outstretched hand._

_(End Flashback)_

"Hotaru-san!"

Hotaru lifts her head, her mood lightening at the sight of, the ever so studious, Kairi. He jogs to her side, Musashi following behind him. Kia and Lily at the moment were resting, having considered her practices relaxation time after the 5th one. Kairi bows his head slightly as he walks in step with her.

"So, how do you think this year will go?"

Hotaru shrugs her shoulders.

"I have no idea…I'm hoping it goes well like it usually does. We can only pray for the best."

Kairi only nods his head before offering a comforting smile.

"Hotaru-san, I mean no offense to the other skaters when I say this, but, you always win."

They both laugh at this, knowing that this was partially true. She always won nationals, but everybody knew that she never competed in anything else. Her reasoning having been that she wanted to stay in school and wouldn't leave the town or country, no matter how much she loved skating.

After reaching the ice rink, Hotaru rushes off to change into a simple outfit, the color a light blue, the skirt flowing like most do. After tying on her skates, she begins by stretching, Kairi watching her every move. He had always known about Hotaru's talent in skating. He used to go to practices with her when they were kids. She always seemed happy on the ice.

Finishing her stretches, she begins braiding her hair as Amu finally arrives, a wide smile on her face.

"Hi president-san."

Kairi nods his head in greeting, having adjusted to the nickname awhile back.

"Hinamori-san."

Amu turnes her eyes to Hotaru who was watching the two intently. Noticing their attention on her, she tilts her head to the side in question. They nod their heads, Hotaru only signaling the employee as her response. Kairi takes a seat next to Amu, the two on the edge of their seat.

"Has she told you her theme?"

Kairi shakes his head.

"She said she wanted it to be a surprise. She hasn't even told the press yet."

Amu's eyes widen at this.

"Oh…"

"Amu-chan?"

"Is Hotaru-chan good?"

Amu happily nods to her Chara, all three beginning to smile brightly as they turn their heads to the rink.

"Watch, she's about to begin."

They return their attention to the rink as Hotaru begins her routine, a smile on her face, her expressions matching the beginning of the song.

* * *

"So, you want to see what Hotaru is doing?"

Ikuto only nods his head as he turns down another alley.

"Why?"

Ikuto easily shrugs as he follows Yoru, having had him follow her earlier. Yoru was starting to become an expert at it.

"I know that she's lying, I just want to know why. I don't understand why she can't tell me."

Yoru doesn't answer for he didn't understand either, but then again, he also understood that Hotaru was not good at talking about herself. They finally come to a stop, the building in front of them an ice rink.

"This is where she is?"

Yoru nods his head, beginning to lick his paw idly. Ikuto walks over to the doors nonchalantly, easily sneaking in. His ears easily pick up the sound of a small hiss, his footsteps heading toward the source. It's as he enters another door that his eyes widen at the sight. Hotaru had just landed a double axel, her landing perfect, her body at ease as she easily enters another jump. Ikuto had no idea why he was captivated by this, but he couldn't look away. He could tell right away that he had just caught the end of it for the music stopped a few seconds later. He turns his head as he hears clapping, his eyes easily catching the top of a familiar head that he did not like to see.

Hotaru had come to a stop when the two elementary students began clapping. A smile breaks out on her face as she hurries over to the side. Kairi was quick to stand as he rushed over to her.

"You need to work on the spin near the 2nd chorus but other than that, it's perfect."

Hotaru can't contain her excitement as she eagerly pulls Kairi into a hug, Amu giggling at Kairi's red face. Amu had begun to notice Kairi's secret, but she mainly laughed at Hotaru's lack of knowledge on the whole situation.

"Hotaru!!"

The voice that bellowed causes all of their blood to freeze as they all turn their attention to the door. Hotaru's eyes widen as she pulls away from Kairi, her feet hurrying off the ice.

"Ikuto?"

Ikuto's face remains stoic as his glare intensifies.

"You know, if you had feelings for someone, you could've just told me instead of hiding it. I can find another fake girlfriend."

Hotaru's blood runs cold at his words, her mind trying to find a reason for his accusation.

"What're you talking about?! I don't have feelings for anyone…but…"

Her voice lowers to a whisper, not having the courage to confess to him at the moment, not to mention the timing was bad. Ikuto only scoffs as he stands his ground.

"You don't have to lie. You're not hurting my feelings. You're a fake girlfriend, remember?"

Tears began to well up in Hotaru's eyes, Amu and Kairi watching the girl intently, her body starting to tremble. Yoru could not believe Ikuto's words, and yet he knew that deep down he was hurting inside. Ikuto's usual smirk falls into place as he begins to turn around, his voice cutting deep into Hotaru's heart.

"Doesn't matter, enjoy him. I'll find someone else."

And with that, he begins to walk out. Hotaru is only in shock for so long before hurriedly untying her skates, quick to discard them as she begins to run after him, her voice wavering.

"Ikuto!"

She rushes outside to notice him walking off, her body only hesitating at the door for a second before going after him, her mind not heeding the downpour.

"Ikuto!!"

He ignores her, not wanting to hear her say outright that what he had said was true. He didn't understand why, but he knew that if he heard those words…

…that they would hurt him.

Hotaru only manages to go so far before she trips, falling to the ground, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. Yoru's eyes began to water at the sight. He knew that Ikuto was only doing it to protect himself, but he couldn't bear this feeling that…maybe Hotaru cared about Ikuto more than she let on.

Hotaru struggles to her hands, her head lifting in time to see Ikuto disappear around a corner. Her eyes begin to scrunch, her heart aching deeply as she can no longer hold in the sobs. Amu and Kairi finally make it outside only in time for Hotaru to wail, her body falling to the ground as she hugs herself, her cries radiating her pain. Her tears only blend in with the pouring rain, as her heart breaks.

"IKUTO!!!!"

* * *

**Author's Note: I must admit...I cried. Was it just me?**


	18. Fallen Theme

**Author's Notes: Oh....I love this story. Without you guys, this probably wouldn't have gone as far as it has. So, thank you~**

**Rating: T for slight cursing**

**Dedication: Witchgirl1590, Hikari1796, toricahill1978, and i love athrun for reviewing!! Every time I read your reviews, my day gets brighter!! and yes torica, you get points for trying!! *cookies for all***

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 18: Fallen Theme**

Nikaidou had been nothing less than shocked when he opened the door and Kairi was standing there with Hotaru in his arms, the girl's eyes distant and empty.

…Hotaru didn't speak.

Not one word was uttered. Her voice was not heard at home, at school, or to her friends. Amu would get one word responses through texts but that was the extent of it. Without notice, Hotaru changed her show, the song going from it's soft, happy melody to one that seemed to bleed along with the wound in her heart.

…Ikuto did not go to school.

At the moment, Hotaru was practicing, her face emotionless, her eyes distant as the slow melody echoed around her, her brother watching intently, his heart aching at the sight of his broken sister.

'_What happened?'_

Nikaidou only shakes his head before sitting down, knowing full well that at the moment, she was lost to them.

* * *

Amu was wandering outside, unsure of how to go about her plan of confronting a certain someone. She had noticed that he hadn't attended school since the incident, and she needed to speak to him before Hotaru's competition.

"Amu-chan!"

Amu quickly looks up, the small angel rushing over, seeming to be out of breath.

"I found him! Follow me!"

El had not left Hotaru's side until now, having agreed with the pink-haired elementary student on the plan. She couldn't bear to see Hotaru in the state she was in.

After having ran for a good 10 minutes, they come to a clearing, the place familiar to Amu. It was the same place that Amu had ran into Hotaru and Ikuto during their session. As she slows down to catch her breath, she spots Ikuto, the man sitting on the steps, his violin next to him, forgotten.

"Ikuto…"

Ikuto slowly raises his head, and it was then that Amu noticed the dark circles forming under the young man's eyes. She walks over gradually, not wanting to scare him off in any way.

"We need to talk…"

Ikuto turns away, his hands beginning to put his violin away. Amu, unable to hold in her temper any longer, begins to yell, rushing to explain her reasoning.

"Look! I don't know why you acted the way you did the other day, but Hotaru is hurting!! Why can't you see that?! Do you not care about her?! At all!?"

Tears begin to fill in Amu's golden eyes, her eyebrows lowering in fury.

"You broke her…"

Lowering her head, the tears beginning to slip, she speaks softly as Ikuto begins to walk away.

"If you really want to see if for yourself…Go to her competition tomorrow…"

And with that, she leaves.

* * *

Nikaidou had taken it upon himself to cook, though whether the food could be called edible was questionable. Today, Kairi had come by and had volunteered, Nikaidou having been more than happy to hand over the reins. Kairi was idly stirring the stew, the apron tied around his waist a bright yellow.

"So…how is she?"

A sigh echoes through the silence.

"She hasn't spoken a word…It's like she's locked her words away…"

Kairi puts the ladle down, his head turning to the teacher.

"I heard she changed her routine…"

Nikaidou nods his head, his hand running through his curly hair.

"Yes…it's nothing like what she originally had. She won't give a reason as to why, but I'm sure it's obvious…"

A loud sound fills the room as Kairi punches the counter, his control slipping slightly.

"It's all that stupid cat's fault! I don't understand the situation fully, but the way he just left her like that…It was…Urgh!!"

A few minutes of silence pass as Kairi relaxes his body, his hand turning the stove off when hearing the timer.

"I've never seen her so dejected before…Just her eyes alone…I…"

Kairi only sighs as he moves the pot over, only one person on his mind.

"I'll go get Hotaru."

Nikaidou doesn't respond as Kairi heads upstairs, slippers adorning his feet. As he reaches Hotaru's room, he knocks lightly, wary not to make any loud noises.

"Hotaru…"

He reaches for the doorknob, knowing that she wouldn't respond. He lets himself in only to see the distressed girl looking out the window, the rain drops creating a soft roar outside. His fists clench slightly as he remembered that Hotaru had been bedridden with a fever after the whole ordeal. Her running outside, followed by her lack of will had not mixed well.

…She cried in her sleep.

He knew that.

"Hotaru…Food's ready."

He gingerly walks over to her, Hotaru's head turning to him slowly, her eyes dark. He can't help flinching at the sight, the dark emerald irises no longer their usual bright selves. Grasping her hand delicately, he helps her to her feet, glad that at least she did not confine herself to her room.

"Alright, let's-"

He's suddenly cut off when Hotaru wraps her arms around him tightly, her face pressed into his apron. He waits to hear a sob or to feel her body tremble, but nothing…

"Hotaru…are you…?"

Hotaru nods her head before pulling away slowly, a small smile on her face. It was fake, but he would take anything at this point.

"Come on. Your brother is waiting."

* * *

"Please, no questions!"

Several guards were surrounding Hotaru, desperate to protect her from the swarming paparazzi. Hotaru's gaze was on the ground, her demeanor unfit for the beautiful outfit that she was currently wearing. The skirt reached above her knee, the material shortening as it reached her left hip. The sleeves were, billowing freely like the skirt, the material white before fading into a light blue. She seemed to sparkle as the camera flashes went off around her, her hair pulled into two high ponytails, white ribbons adorning each one, a matching one around her neck.

Numb to everything, Hotaru didn't say a word as she was led to a room for the contestants. It was as she began her stretches that her brother showed up. She never knew why, but he always seemed to be edgy when he was at her competitions.

"Alright…I…"

Hotaru stopped what she was doing when her brother did not continue. He seemed to be gauging on what to say when he suddenly enveloped her into a hug.

"Do your best out there Kiddo."

As her onii-chan's coat disappeared around the corner, she couldn't help but reach out to him slightly, a bit disoriented from the contact.

"Next to come up: Hotaru Sukino!"

Hotaru's ears catch the sound of applause as her stage name was announced. Taking a deep breath, she heads towards the side of the rink, waiting for the spotlight before stepping onto the ice.

"Hotaru is a 5-time national champion. This year, her routine is called Fallen."

The announcer's voice echoes as the crowd hushes, Hotaru stopping in the center. Amu, Kairi, Kukai, Tadase, and Yaya were in the audience, Amu and Kairi sharing uneasy glances. They knew that the title alone showed the feeling behind the changed show.

**(This song is Every time by Britney Spears)**

As the music begins, the melody soft and sorrowful, Hotaru's arms showing the extent of her feelings behind the song. Eyebrows furrowed, Hotaru begins her performance, the pained expression on her face only seeming to add to the emotion in the music.

With each chorus, she does a triple axel, eyes closed during each jump, her poses steady, her arms graceful and yet…the audience didn't applaud after each successful landing. Every eye was on her as she performed her spins, her twirls, her axels, nothing heard but the sound of her skates on the ice and the song choice. Amu was watching intently along with everyone else, tears filling her eyes.

'_Oh Hotaru…'_

As the tempo picks up a bit, Hotaru hugs herself, her eyes scrutinized in pain, her body entering a spin that sped up before stopping with the music. As the harp began once more, she eases into more poses before another jump. It's as the song comes to an end that she does a single, her body beginning to spin once more when her toe suddenly catches the ice.

A gasp fills the audience as she falls, the girl easily allowing herself to do so. Lifting her head solemnly, she reaches out toward the audience, before pulling her hand back, her face lowering once more as she can no longer hold in her tears.

…The melody stops….

…and the crowd roars.

* * *

In the far back, a blue-haired teen was watching keenly, his heart seeming to have stopped from the raw emotion put into the display.

"Ikuto…"

"I know…"

He knew then that what Amu had said was true. The routine that Hotaru was doing was nothing like the one he had seen earlier that week. She had changed it.

…it was his fault.

Unconsciously, he begins to walk to the lower levels of the seats, wanting to get a closer look on everything. Nikaidou had noticed something in the corner of his eye, his anger rising at the sight of the cat-like boy. His hand is quick to grab a hold of Ikuto's arms, wanting to shout, but not wanting to draw attention to either of them. Ikuto's eyes lock onto Nikaidou's, the plead in the former Easter employee's eyes obvious. Ikuto only nods his head before removing the tight grip on his arm, proceeding to head to the area that Hotaru had entered from.

It was when Ikuto finally reached the bottom that the gasp caused him to snap his head up, his hands gripping the railing tightly as he watched Hotaru fall.

…He couldn't breathe.

It wasn't until she moved again that he realized that it was part of her show. She had done it purposely. The crowd's applause knocks him out of his reverie as Hotaru rises to her feet, waving slightly before sliding off of the ice. Ikuto was quick to hide himself from her sight until the right time.

Hotaru was happy, to say the least, at a successful performance as she sat down, her score preparing to be announced.

"Hotaru Sukino. 5.9...6.0...6.0...6.0...6.0...6.0...6.0...6.0...and 6.0!"

Another roar of applause at the almost perfect score. Hotaru shrugs off the reporters beginning to crowd around her, her win of the national obvious. Slipping into one of the waiting rooms, she's surprised when arms snake around her waist. She begins to squirm when a voice causes her breath to catch in her throat.

"…I'm sorry…"

Hotaru's eyes widen only for her crying to begin once more. Hiding her face in her hands, Ikuto only tightens his grip around the poor girl, his face burying itself in her hair, her scent comforting him. He hadn't slept in days. Turning around, she begins to pound her fists against Ikuto's chest before suddenly throwing her arms around Ikuto's neck, a small smile on her face.

"You're…s-such a jerk…"

Ikuto only chuckles at her response, the sound sending chills down Hotaru's spine.

"…so I've heard."

Unbeknownst to the two, is the one fly that managed to slip between the cracks.

* * *

"Sir, I think you'd like to see this."

An older gentleman looks up from the paperwork on his desk as his secretary passes him a manila folder. He eyes it warily before turning his questioning gaze to the woman standing before him.

"What is this?"

"One of our reporter's recent reports. It's on the National Figure Skating Tournament yesterday."

The man frowns slightly.

"Why would this appeal to me in any way?"

The woman only nods her head to the folder, urging him to inspect what was inside. The man only sighs as he flips the front open, his eyes widening slightly at the images before him. It's one in particular that catches his interest…

…a photo of a blue-haired violin player and the now 6-time national figure skating champion in an intimate embrace.

The older man begins to laugh, the sound deep and a bit haunting.

"Perfect."

* * *

**Author's Note: Do I get treats for another chapter? Do I? PLEASEEEEE!!! *laugh* Oh, so begins the next new thing. Also, I'm deciding to do a contest of sorts. What I'm planning on doing is having you guys write out your own chapter of Hotaru and Ikuto. Winner not only gets there chapter posted as one of the chapters of this story, but also, will get drawn a picture of their choice of Ikuto and Hotaru!!! Yay!!! I think...lol So, let's see how this goes!!! Good luck to all!!! Just email your suggestions at your chapter ideas and picture requests. Let's begin!!!!**


	19. Ice Cream Never Looked So Good

**Author's Notes: Yay! The next chapter! I'm starting to get the hang of this once a week thing, despite my hectic schedule. Also, I've decided that the deadline for my contest is going to be when I release the 25th chapter, because let's face it, it will go that far. I thank those that have stuck it out with me so far. It makes me smile every time I get a new story or favorite alert.**

**Contest Rules: Write out your own little scene of Hotaru and Ikuto.**

**Prize: Getting their chapter into my story AND getting a request of a pic of Hotaru and Ikuto. I don't do porn, but you can pick anything else. lol That's a good prize, right? I might even color it!! 0.o That's drastic.**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: Hikari1796 and Megane-Ichigo Rush for your awesome reviews.**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 19: Ice Cream Never Looked So Good  
**

Things returned to normal…or normal as things could get.

"Please, I have no comment!!"

Hotaru was currently trying to dodge several reporters that had decided to bombard her after school. A small smile adorns her face.

'_Ikuto understood…'_

After the whole ordeal, Ikuto had told her how he had assumed something that had been totally off base. If she didn't know any better, she would've guessed that he had been jealous of Kairi, though she didn't understand why.

"Hotaru-san, a word, please?"

"Leave me alone!!"

Usually Hotaru didn't face the problem of paparazzi after the competition, but unfortunately for her it had slipped out on what town she lived in, and then from there her usual appearance. During competitions, she was all dolled up and wore contacts, but now…

…she sighs.

'_This is so difficult.'_

* * *

"So, your plan backfired…"

Nikaidou hangs his head dejectedly before turning a glare to the violin player.

"If you hadn't been so harsh with your words, this would've never happened."

Ikuto shrugs.

"You told me to be cold. How was I supposed to know that she would take it pretty badly?"

Nikaidou only sighs as he sits on the bench outside his house, his hand running through his hair.

"I didn't think she would either…It doesn't matter, the competition is over so we shouldn't have to worry about any more media."

"I don't know about that…"

Nikaidou raises an eyebrow as he turns his eyes to Ikuto, who is currently lounging in a tree.

"I noticed several reporters today following Hotaru."

Nikaidou waves his hand.

"Tabloids and small time magazines…They're not that big of a deal. They go away in a few days."

Ikuto nods his head as his sits up, a yawn escaping his lips.

"So, everything is back to normal?"

"Yes, it should be."

* * *

'_Finally…I lost them…'_

Hotaru had just managed to outrun the tabloid reporters, having been interrupted during her shopping trip. Looking down at the bag in her hands, she begins to check off things in her mental list.

"Alright, let's see…Groceries are done, so I just need to buy pens, Onii-chan's shampoo, and maybe I'll be able to window shop a bit."

Smiling happily to herself, she hurries off to the next store, the crowd bigger than she thought. Managing to squeeze through the crowds, she covers her eyes as some dust blows through. She had gone simple today, her outfit having been picked out by her brother. She never understood why, but her brother always seemed to have great taste when it came to her clothing, yet when it came to his…

Giggling softly to herself, another breeze causing her to hold down the skirt of her white summer dress, a white beret adorning her head, her hair billowing around her. She felt out of place.

"All dolled up and yet nowhere to go!!"

Hotaru frowns at El's comment, the angel having decided to linger with her while Kia and Lily helped her brother at home. Sighing, she begins to look for a specific shop.

"I'm not dolled up El…at least, I don't think I am…"

El makes herself comfortable on Hotaru's head, her head turning in every direction.

"You are! You're all pretty and yet no guy on your arm. You reconciled with Ikuto, why aren't you with him?"

Hotaru peeks at a window display, the items only showing that the store sold bags and purses of various sizes and brands. Turning her head away, she begins to look around once more.

"Because, I still have a few journalists tailing me and I don't want him involved in all the drama. It's ridiculous…I care about him too much to do that to him."

El peeks over the girl's head, making eye contact to show that she was serious.

"Doesn't Ikuto realize that you like him now? I mean, you did go all dark and gloomy…"

Hotaru only blushes as she averts her eyes, the same question having been buzzing around her head.

"I don't know…He hasn't brought up the whole ordeal. It seems like he's avoiding it and I'm more than glad to go along with that."

El frowns.

"You are such a coward."

Hotaru's eyes widen as she loses her temper a bit.

"Hey! I'm just….I get nervous…"

Hotaru turns her gaze downwards after spotting several people giving her bewildered looks.

"A-Anyways, I-"

Hotaru stops, a flash of pink having appeared in her vision. Turning her head, she spots Amu…

….and Tadase?!

Hotaru ducks her head, her body beginning to follow the two.

"Notes: Hotaru is nosy."

Hotaru disregards El's words as she follows the two into a store. It's when she notices the merchandise that she realizes that the store she had entered was the one she had been looking for. Quickly hiding behind a bookshelf, she begins to look for her much needed pens, her ear slightly pressed to the shelf.

"Can you hear them El?"

El, glad that she could fly, floats over the shelf, her head peaking over the edge.

"Oh, Tadase is a smooth talker."

Hotaru's head snaps up, a small pink hue on her face.

"What?!"

"Hotaru-san?!"

Hotaru turns her gaze downward, her body freezing a the sight of Kairi. She begins to stutter, embarrassed at having been caught eavesdropping.

"K-Kairi-kun! W-what're you doing here?"

Kairi lowers his head, desperate to hide the blush beginning to appear on his face.

"I-I was just shopping for a few things."

Hotaru tilts her head as she smiles, her eyes taking in Kairi's outfit. His clothing choice reminded her of a ninja, the black suiting him well, but what caught her eye was his lack of spectacles. She almost didn't recognize him.

"M-Me too."

"Hotaru, you're going to be spotted!!"

"What?"

Hotaru turns around just in time for her eyes to lock with Amu's, a cold sweat beginning to settle in.

"Hotaru-chan? What're you doing here?"

"W-Well, I-"

She points behind her only to realize that Kairi had ran off. She mentally frowns as she laughs it off, her eyes easily spotting something that caught her eye earlier.

"Just some shopping, you know? I was, um, looking at this blossom barrette."

Amu leans forward, her eyes in slight awe.

"Oh! It suits you, you should buy it."

Hotaru regrettably puts the accessory down before turning to the two pre-teens.

"Not today. I've already spent my money on groceries."

Amu nods her head in understanding, having only been able to get the bag she wanted due to Tadase having purchased the hair barrette in her hair.

"Oh, well, do you want to come with us? We're actually going shopping for the Guardians and then we're going to get some ice cream."

Hotaru smiles warmly, feeling guilt at having worried everyone during her depression.

"Yes, I'd like that."

"Notes: Hotaru cares about her friends."

Hotaru only blushes as El continues to write things in a notepad, all three being observed by the disguised guardian.

"That was close, I almost got caught. I have to be more cautious. I have to keep an eye on the guardians."

Despite his words, Musashi noticed that Kairi's attentive gaze was only on the lavender-haired girl.

* * *

"The shopping is done. Thanks for coming along."

Hotaru shakes her head as Amu smiles.

"It was no problem, really. I'm glad that I was invited along."

All three were presently relaxing at a park, Hotaru and Tadase having returned with ice cream cones.

"Go ahead, take the one you like."

"Oh, then I'll take chocolate."

Tadase hands Amu the ice cream cone, making himself comfortable next to Amu as Hotaru began to enjoy hers, pretending not to watch the scene before her.

"Then I'll have vanilla. Yay, I love vanilla."

Hotaru and Amu emit steam as their faces turn a deep red, Hotaru turning her face away.

'_That boy is too cute for his own good…Poor Amu doesn't stand a chance…'_

"Oh, and thank you for this. Does it really look good on me?"

"Yes, it does. It makes my heart race."

Both girls had frozen at this point, Amu red from the compliment, Hotaru from the straight forward remark. El rises from her spot on Hotaru's beret, her voice loud despite it's high pitch.

"Aack! I can't take it anymore! You're such a smooth talker!"

"Huh? What?"

"I agree."

Tadase turns his head to his Chara, a blush starting to form on the blonde-haired boy's face.

"Kiseki, you too? Well…I just thought it looks like Amulet Heart's, so…"

Amu flinches, Hotaru not missing the action. As far as Hotaru knew, Amu was her own love rival.

"Hinamori-san, it's dripping!"

"Oh!"

"It'll leave a stain. Here, hold onto this, I'll go wet my handkerchief."

All is quiet before Hotaru giggles at Amu's expression, the girl seeming to be on cloud nine.

"He's so nice…"

"He's a natural playboy…"

Hotaru had to give that to El, Tadase seemed that way. Really smooth with his words and actions. Hotaru notices the ice cream beginning to drip more and leans forward, her hand open.

"Here, Amu, let me hold Tadase's cone. They're both beginning to drip."

Amu only nods her head as she passes the cone to Hotaru, the young girl beginning to lick the slipping drops. Hotaru shakes her head before turning her head back to her ice cream only to notice someone else licking it. Hotaru's face becomes deep red.

"I-Ikuto-kun!!"

Hotaru flinches backwards, Ikuto only smirking at her reaction.

"Hey."

"When'd you get here? I didn't even notice!"

Ikuto's grin only widens as he sits, his tongue sticking out to taunt her. Hotaru motions for Amu to stand, the girl now standing behind her.

"Sneaky like a cat, remember?"

Hotaru turns her head away, her heart fluttering in her chest. Hotaru was desperately trying to act indifferent towards Ikuto, doing her best to cancel out the way she acted after having been "dumped." Ikuto's next words cause her to lower her eyebrows in a mock glare.

"Are you eating two? You can get fat that way."

"No! This one is Tadase's…Ugh!"

She begins to shake with embarrassment, her ice cream beginning to drip onto her hand, her mind not registering it.

"Tadase's…I see…"

Ikuto's eyes follow Tadase's ice cream cone before Hotaru lowers her face to his level.

"Don't think about it. If you want some so badly, you can have some of mine."

"Hotaru's emotions are easy to read."

Hotaru snaps her head up to the angel Chara, her eyes wide.

"El?!?!?"

"I really like it…"

"Huh?"

Hotaru's eyes lock with Ikuto's amethyst orbs, her breath caught in her throat.

"…cinnamon." **(A.N.: Yes, I know, originally he says chocolate, but I have to change it since Amu has chocolate.)**

Frown on her lips, face a deep red, she turns her head away, her voice wavering.

"Did you expect me to say something else?"

Hotaru quickly shakes her head, her locks swaying with the action. He didn't want to admit it, but Ikuto had hardly recognized Hotaru. Her outfit was different from what she usually wore, but her brother's cheeky grin now made sense.

…she was cute.

"Please, don't tease me. It confuses me…I never understand why you do it."

As if knowing that his look alone could sway Hotaru, he grins, his pose seeming to cause an aura of sparkles around him.

"Sorry, I can't. I'm curious about you."

"Huh?!"

Utau's words begin to echo in Hotaru's mind, her blush deepening several shades.

"_Ikuto's never cared for a girl like this before…"_

Amu glances between the two, both unmoving when Ikuto begins to chuckle, Hotaru's glare returning.

"Heh."

"You did it again!"

Ikuto places a hand on his forehead, his laughter growing a bit from Hotaru's response. Hotaru seemed to have a bit of a bite lately, but he had to admit that he enjoyed it.

"You're so fun to tease."

"How dare you?!"

Hotaru steps forward, wanting to yell when Ikuto suddenly rises, his height easily surpassing her own. What had mainly startled her though…was not his sudden action of standing but instead…his hand, had deviously, pushed Tadase's ice cream cone…

…onto her mouth and cheek.

Amu's eyes widen, unsure of whether to gasp or laugh at the situation.

* * *

"We've completely lost them."

"It's because you were shopping."

"But I really wanted this. I thought they came this way, but-Oh! There's the king!"

Kairi easily dodges out of sight by lurking behind a tree. Tadase was jogging back to where he had left the two females.

"Hinamori-san! Sorry, I couldn't find a water fountain and-"

His eyes widen at the sight before him. Amu seemed to be the only one to acknowledge him for Hotaru was unmoving, her eyes locked with Ikuto's. His ice cream cone, he noticed, was on her mouth, Ikuto's smirk in place, his hand below the cone.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi?! What are you doing? Leave Nikaidou-san alone!!"

Ikuto's eyes look at Tadase from the corner of his eye, his grin only growing in size.

"Sorry, it was a defense reaction. She started to get a bit angry, so I thought I'd cool her down."

Hotaru snaps out of her reverie, her hand lowering the cone from her face.

"You did that on purpose! It had nothing to do with my reaction!"

Ikuto leans toward Hotaru, Hotaru backing up a bit, the playful glint in Ikuto's eye making her nervous.

"Hey, Tadase, you love vanilla, huh?"

"What?"

"You're still a kid, aren't you?"

That's all is said before Ikuto suddenly runs his tongue along Hotaru's cheek, the girl freezing at the contact.

'_He's licking me…? He's licking me!?'_

Ikuto continues this as Tadase turns red, obviously not used to this kind of…scene. After awhile, Hotaru regains her voice, her head beginning to move away from Ikuto's mouth.

"I-Ikuto! What're you do-?!"

She's cut off as Ikuto's hands grip her face, easily forcing his lips onto hers as he licks off the remaining ice cream. Everyone's eyes widen, El responding by writing down more notes.

"Ikuto is a playboy of sorts as well…"

Pulling away, both heavy-lidded, Hotaru whispers softly.

"I-Ikuto…kun…"

"Delicious."

Tadase charges forward, scepter in hand, anger apparent despite the tinge on his face.

"I'm not going to take this anymore! Character change!"

Ikuto's ears transform into those of a cat as he sticks out his tongue once more, easily jumping out of Tadase's reach.

"You used to eat a lot of vanilla ice cream while sitting on my lap."

"Shut up!"

All is quiet as the two boys disappear, both girl's stunned at the turn of events.

"Both end up getting dumped."

Hotaru and Amu snap their eyes to El, the small pencil writing in the spoken words.

"What?!"

Hotaru sighs as she throws away Tadase's ice cream, quickly finishing off what was left of hers.

"What should we do?"

Eyeing the bags, Hotaru begins to grab a few, the weight a bit heavy since she had already picked up her own.

"Um, I think I can…"

"Hotaru-san! Joker!"

Both look up to notice Kairi, his stance a bit awkward. Hotaru can't help but smile.

"Kairi-kun!"

Kairi doesn't say a word as he takes the bags from Hotaru, the girl a bit confused.

"Oh, you don't have to, I-"

"I just happened to be passing by, so I'll help you."

Amu smiles widely, a few giggles emitting from the goth-styled girl.

"Really?! Thanks!"

"Oh, and…here."

A bag is suddenly shoved into Hotaru's hands, a questioning look in her eyes. She opens the bag, her eyes sparkling at the item inside.

'_Oh…the barrette I wanted…'_

"I happened to be passing by and thought that it suited you. Consider it my present for winning the nationals."

Hotaru envelops Kairi into a hug, her voice a whisper in his ear.

"Thank you for everything, Kairi-kun."

Placing a small kiss on his cheek, she pulls away, her hands quick to remove her beret and clip the flower barrette into her hair. Kairi watches in awe, the urge to touch his cheek high.

'_You do look cute…but you always seem more beautiful when a flower is in your hair…'_

Kairi quickly turns away, Amu holding her sides, desperate not to laugh as El writes one more note. Hotaru is only confused by everything.

"Hotaru is a natural playgirl as well…"

* * *

**Author's Note: I must admit, this was one of my favorite chapters to write. rofl I enjoyed the little ice cream escapade.**

**I hope a few of you enter the contest...please? I just want to see everyone's ideas!**

**Okay....I'm judging by length, description, and grammar. That's all!! Oh...and if I the story pulls me in really. Whatever catches me eye.  
**


	20. Spilled Milk

**Author's Note: I must say I'm actually surprised that I'm getting somewhat close to an end here...of course not soon, but getting there. It's crazy! lol I hope you enjoy this little chapter. This is where Ikuto starts to come to terms with his feelings. he he**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: Witchgirl1590 and I love athrun for your reviews. I love athrun- I love the support from the beginning and Witchgirl1590, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that you are a Kairi fan. he he  
**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Spilled Milk**

Hotaru and Ikuto were currently walking home, the two engrossed in a small conversation. School had just ended and it was obvious that the good weather was going to occur for awhile.

"So, you skate professionally when contests enter the area?"

Hotaru nods her head, her shoulder bag bumping against her thigh, a book in her arms.

"Yes…Honestly, I love to skate but I could do without the paparazzi following me every time I win the gold."

Ikuto chuckles, obviously amused by the girl's chagrin expression. It was apparent that she detested the publicity. Yoru suddenly plops onto Ikuto's shoulder, the little feline seeming troubled.

"Ikuto…A few Easter guys are heading this way. You can't be spotted with Hotaru."

Ikuto nods his head. Turning to the fragile girl, he places a smirk as he suddenly pulls her into a dark alley with him, a small gasp escaping her lips.

"Ikuto-kun, what are you-?"

Turning another corner, he pulls her into his arms, effectively shutting her up. An immense blush covers Hotaru's face at the contact, not having been this close since they reconciled after her performance, not counting the incident last week. Lifting her head up, she gives him a questioning look at the spontaneity of his actions. Noticing eyes on him, he gives that smirk that she loves so much, her words caught in her throat. Placing a small kiss to her forehead, he pulls away.

"See ya."

Hotaru, confused by the turn of events, watches him disappear from sight before returning to their original path, her hands beginning to open her book.

"Well that was odd…"

Suddenly, two arms grab around Hotaru's waist, a hand effectively clamping her mouth, Hotaru desperately struggling against the two.

"Let me-!"

She can only let out a small scream as they pull her away, her book falling to the ground, forgotten.

* * *

Ikuto's ears had barely managed to pick up a small scream, the sound causing his blood to run cold. He turns his head to Yoru, a question in both of their minds.

"You don't think…?"

"…that was Hotaru-chan?"

Ikuto hurriedly turns around, cat ears appearing on his head as he rushes back to where he had left the lavender-haired girl, his eyes catching no sight of her.

"Do you think it was in our head?"

Yoru shrugs as Ikuto turns around, suddenly halting, his eye wide. Yoru, noticing Ikuto's stopped movements turns to question him when his golden eyes catch a book on the ground. Ikuto bends down to pick it up, his eyes scanning the title.

'_Didn't Hotaru have a book with her…? Is this it?'_

Scanning the front for any sign that it belonged to someone, his mind hoping that against all odds that it had just been forgotten. His heart dropped though when he opened the first page, a name written in beautiful cursive along the blank paper, the ink setting fear into his mind.

'_Hotaru Nikaidou…'_

* * *

Amu was frowning at her phone, her text not having been responded to. Noticing Amu's distress, Tadase decides to find the source of the problem.

"Is something wrong Amu-san?"

Amu turns to him, a worried glint in her eyes.

"I texted Hotaru awhile back and she usually replies back by now, but…I haven't heard anything. I have this bad feeling in my stomach."

Tadase reaches over, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, a smile on his face.

"I'm sure that Hotaru-san is fine. Give it time, she'll reply back."

* * *

"So, what do you think?"

An older man inspects the girl before him, her eyes devoid of emotion.

"And you're sure that she has a beautiful voice? She'll have the ability to steal heart eggs?"

A woman nods her head, a smirk on her face.

"Yes, she does. She's up there along with Utau and with the new egg, it should help with the egg collecting."

The man chuckles as he swivels in his office chair, a malicious grin on his face.

"Perfect. Let's start the plan then."

* * *

"Nee-san, I'm back. You said you had something for me to do?"

A young woman, hair curling on her shoulders, adjusts her frames as she turns to her younger brother.

"Yes, Kairi. I need you to pass out some CD's that Easter is going to start producing. We're actually about to record them."

Kairi tilts his head, his confusion growing when spotting Utau sitting on a lounge chair not too far away.

'_Utau isn't recording the music…?'_

Turning his head, his eyes landing on the empty recording studio, a question rises in his throat, an empty feeling filling his gut.

"Um…Nee-san…Who's recording?"

Yukari turns her head to her foolish younger brother, an evil glint in her eyes as she crosses her arms across her chest.

"I do believe you should know her. You remember…."

As she speaks the door to the studio opens, Kairi's eyes widening at the sight. Instinctively, he steps forward, his hands gripping tightly, knuckles white.

"Hotaru-san?!"

* * *

Nikaidou was currently pacing the house, his eyebrows furrowed deeply. Sighing, he turns his head to the door before beginning to pace once more.

'_Where is she? She's never this late…'_

Hotaru hadn't returned home yet and he was starting to get worried. He had tried reaching her on her cell phone, but it kept going straight to voicemail. Hearing the door begin to squeak, he turns to it happily, ready to chastise his younger sister when blue hair appears first. His yell dies in his throat as Ikuto pokes his head in, and upon noticing Nikaidou waiting by the door, curses to himself, his frown deepening.

"Shit."

"Ikuto…Where's Hotaru?"

Ikuto sighs as he walks in, his hand closing the door behind him. Reaching into his book bag, he pulls out a book, passing it over to Nikaidou. Nikaidou takes it from him slowly, his eyes scanning over the cover.

"What does…?"

"I found that on the ground. I didn't think….I thought that they were looking for me."

Nikaidou doesn't understand what Ikuto was going on about until opening the book and finding Hotaru's name written on the first page, her handwriting as elegant as usual. Snapping his head up, fear settles into his eyes.

"What happened?"

Ikuto looks down at the ground as Yoru's eyebrows furrow.

"Yoru had spotted Easter employees headed our way, so I left Hotaru as fast as I could so they wouldn't spot us together. I had only gotten so far when I heard a small scream. When I went back, that's all I found."

Nikaidou looks down at the book, his arms limp at his side. Placing a hand on the wall beside him for support, he chokes out his worst fear.

"Easter has her…"

* * *

Somewhere downtown, the night young, is a small group of kids going on. Yells of cheer encourage the group on stage, the guitarists forgotten, all eyes on the singer. Eyes hidden behind sunglasses, clad in a tight dress, the black fabric clinging to her thin body. Hands covered in fingerless gloves, the skirt split in two, white fabric peeking out on the sides, the top tied around her neck. Stray lavender locks spill from the two braided pigtails, bangs pulling to one side as her voice echoes throughout the vicinity.

"A sparkle so dark…."

The younger ones, hands thrown in the air, cheer further when singles are thrown out to them, their fingers grabbing greedily for the compact discs. Mike in hand, the girl continues to sing, her voice sultry and mysterious, diamond ornaments on the end of each braid.

"Black Diamond…."

In the background, Kairi can only watch with a heavy heart, his eyes averting from the sight as his sister watches on in amusement.

* * *

**Author's Note: I know that I'm evil for ending it this way, but let's face it, it has to be done. Sorry!!! Review please? ^-^;**


	21. Easter's Porcelain Doll

**Author's Note: Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. Things have happened as of lately. I have finally moved out of my mother's house, which of course left me with no internet service, but my cousin and I have recently have acquired it, so do not fret. On top of that though, I have been busy with work, having more hours does that. I have not forgotten about you, so don't worry. On another side note, those of you who are reading 'A Match Made in Heaven?', I am in a bit of a slump on that one. I'm still doing it, but writer's block has hit me hard so please, bear with me. I'm sure you guys want to continue with the story, so I'll shut up now. lol**

**Oh! Only a few more chapters before my contest ends...if anyone cares. ^-^;**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: Witchgirl590 for messaging me and reminding me that I do have people who care about this story. Don't worry, I'm not mad at you and to show it, this one is dedicated to you. ^-^**

_Summary: Like any boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 21: Easter's Porcelain Doll**

Several days had passed and nobody seemed to be themselves. Amu had fallen into a slump of sorts, not having heard from Hotaru at all. She didn't even know where she lived, Hotaru had always sought her out. She would've asked Nikaidou but he had taken a leave of absence. Ikuto…

…he didn't speak at the moment. Every time she spotted him, he always seemed to be in his own little world.

At this point, she was starting to get worried. She knew something was wrong, but no one would tell her anything.

* * *

"Okay, you're going to have another concert today, so be sure to gather as many X eggs as possible."

Yukari Sanjo turned to the emotionless girl, a small smirk on her face as she begins to laugh a bit.

"Ah…it's not like you won't listen to what I say anyways."

She walks over to the numb lavender-haired girl, said girl standing motionless, her hair down, the top layer pulled back by a black ribbon. Yukari absently strokes the girl's face before turning to two eggs sitting atop a shelf.

"Let us out!"

"Yeah, leave Hotaru alone!"

Yukari frowns at the two voices, the two having a little fit every now and then. She decides to ignore them this time as she turns her head to a mysterious man who at the moment, was standing in the shadows. The man smirks as he walks over, eyeing the girl as he walks over.

"We should've done this sooner. She's gained so much popularity, it's remarkable."

Reaching over, he grabs a few stray strands of Hotaru's long locks, the man feeling the softness. This girl was quite a popular item at the moment, the X discs were practically being snatched from their hands.

"She's like this doll…."

"I would appreciate it if you didn't touch her."

Both people turn their heads, their eyes landing on a certain blue-haired teen, eyes solemn.

"Ah, Ikuto….glad to see you finally show yourself. How's the recording going?"

Ikuto doesn't respond as he walks over to Hotaru, grabbing said girl's hand and pulling her down into his lap as he sits. The President only smirks, knowing that he had Ikuto right where he wanted him. He turns to leave, his smirk smug as he leaves without another word. Yukari follows after him, Utau entering the room.

"Ikuto-kun!!"

She starts to rush over when she notices the girl in his arms, Ikuto's grip somewhat possessive. Utau pouts as she walks over, struggling to keep her smile in place despite the vein throbbing in her forehead. Ikuto looks up, his face stoic regardless of his tight grip.

"Utau…"

"Can you believe they have me singing backup for her? It's despicable."

Ikuto had to admit, he hadn't heard her sing once but today he was scheduled to record with her. He lowers his head to gaze at Hotaru's face, the girl's eyes lifeless and empty. The sight alone made him cringe.

'_How did this happen?'_

(Flashback)

After confirming with Nikaidou that Hotaru had indeed been abducted, he rushed over to Easter's headquarters, knowing exactly who he had to see. He had easily passed the first few stories through climbing, quickly passing security before coming to the president's office, his hand slamming the door open, his face stoic.

He's met with a smug grin.

"Ah, Ikuto, how nice of you to show yourself. May I ask why I have the pleasure of this fine visit?"

Ikuto only glowers.

"You know damn well why I'm here. Where is she?"

The president leans back in his chair, his shoulders shrugging as if innocent.

"Why Ikuto, I have no idea of whom you speak? She who?"

Ikuto can't contain his anger as he practically snaps at the older man.

"Hotaru!! Where is she?!"

A chuckle fills the silence, Ikuto's knuckles turning white from the lack of circulation.

"Oh…her. She came by for a visit actually…"

As he says this, the president snaps his fingers, a small panel in the floor sliding open. As the panel opens, a table lifts from the floor below, Ikuto's eyes widening at the sight. On the table, unconscious, is the girl he's been looking for. Hotaru's eyebrows are furrowed, as if in pain, her hair down and waving along the metal table.

"Hotaru!"

"Ah, ah ah…."

The president waves his finger, as if scolding Ikuto for doing something wrong.

"Now, now Ikuto. She's under our care now. Isn't that right Hotaru?"

Ikuto flinches as Hotaru's eyes open, his own gaze meeting emptiness. Slowly sitting up, Hotaru turns her head to Ikuto, her legs sliding to the edge.

"Don't you see Ikuto? We have something that you want…and if you don't do what we say, we can't make any promises that she'll stay safe? Understand?"

Ikuto is quiet as he walks over to Hotaru, his eyes never leaving her face, her gaze following his every move. It's as he stands in front of her that he slumps his shoulders, his head now resting by Hotaru's head.

"Yes…."

(End Flashback)

Sighing, he turns his gaze to Utau, who had been watching him carefully the whole time.

"What?"

"Can I kiss you?"

"No."

"Ikuto."

Both turn their heads to Yukari motioning for Ikuto to follow her.

"You too Hotaru."

Hotaru nods her head standing up, her hand in Ikuto's. Yukari motions to one of the studios, both easily walking in. As they walk in, Ikuto pulls out his violin, Hotaru taking her place next to the microphone. Yukari's voice comes over the speakers, her tone businesslike.

"Alright, let's start from the chorus. Ikuto, you start once your part comes up."

Ikuto doesn't reply as the music begins, the notes familiar, the bow in his hand rising as his part comes up. It's when it makes contact with the strings that the music seems to evolve, the notes tuned and going with the rock-like music. As the music begins to crescendo that Hotaru's voice starts, her voice light and melodic. Ikuto's eyes widen at the sound, his hands having stopped moving. His eyes gaze over at her, a string tugging at his memories.

"Ikuto!"

Ikuto frowns as he turns over to the window, a matching glare on Yukari's face.

"Pick up at the chorus. Once more."

They begin again, Ikuto's eyes on Hotaru the whole time. It was like the time in the park, her voice wanting to bring him back to a happier time…when he was little…

* * *

"Kairi, is dinner ready yet?"

"Could you wait a little bit longer? I had to start late because I had to do laundry."

Kairi tuned out his sister's onslaught of sentences as he turns his gaze to a door, a certain girl behind it. The apartment was small, but his sister had actually been kind(?) enough to take Hotaru in, though the main reason had been to keep an eye on her.

'_Hotaru-san….'_

"Did you live like this before I got here? If I don't cook, you just eat junk food."

He had to admit, as Musashi lifted a dirty shirt off of the floor, that his sister was somewhat sloppy.

"So, what's wrong with that? Besides, I have you now. Hey…I'm out of beer."

He only sighs as Musashi hands her another can of beer.

"But I'm not going to be here for long. Once my mission at Seiyo Academy is done, I'm returning back home."

Silence fills the air, his suspicions confirmed as he walks over to the couch.

…his sister had fallen asleep.

"Nee-san…"

Musashi idly floats beside his creator, a sweat drop running down the side of his face.

"I can't believe that this is the same gung-ho career woman I knew…and Kairi, I know she's your sister, but you're not her servant."

Kairi only sighs as he covers his sister with a blanket.

"You're supposed to respect your elders. That's what Confucius says. I was honestly surprised when she came home and was able to see you. Then to ask me for help since she was in such a bind…."

Both turn their eyes to the stack of CD discs in the corner of the room, a frown settling upon Kairi's lips.

"I wonder what the guardians would think if they knew it was you passing out the wishing CD?"

Kairi hangs his head, his legs carrying him back to the stove.

"I can't help it…Besides, I'm almost done. The plan goes into effect tomorrow."

After preparing a tray of food, he lifts it off of the counter, walking over to the room that is being shared with him. Opening the door, his eyes land on Hotaru, the emotionless girl staring out the window.

"Hotaru-san…Dinner is ready."

Hotaru turns her head at the sound of his voice, her eyes following him as he places the tray on the bedside dresser between two beds….Well, a bed and a futon. He hands her a bowl of rice, watching as she quietly eats it. After taking a few bites of his own, he stops, his hands dropping to his knees.

"I don't know what's right anymore…Watching you like this…"

Hotaru stops, her body unmoving as she seems to listen.

"Hotaru-san…"

He doesn't say anymore as he steps over to Hotaru in a few steps, his arms enveloping the girl in a hug. Placing a quick kiss to her forehead, he pulls back, returning to the quiet filled air as they eat.

* * *

Utau is looking out of the window, her hair pulled up into a giant hat, her eyes silently burning holes into the side of Hotaru's face. She had to admit that the girl's obedience was creepy.

"Alright, we're going to have another concert tonight to collect more X eggs. If all goes well, we might be able to get rid of those Guardians as well."

Utau doesn't respond as Yukari turns another corner.

"Tonight…the stage is Seiyo Academy."

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and be a bit patient with me. I'm been a bit numb lately, and it's actually quite hard to come up with chapters when one feels like this. lol I'll do my best to become inspired though!**


	22. Jack's Dark Secret

**Author's Note: Yay~! Another chapter is placed up!!! Thank goodness!!....don't kill me.**

**Rating: T for some language...**

**Dedication: This chapter goes to....*drum roll*...13Lulu's for your review!!! I'm glad to have you as a reader! ^-^****  
**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 22: Jack's Dark Secret**

"There's a black diamond…in the night sky…."

Short breaths are heard as Amu rushes over to the sound of the music, her eyes landing on her school and a group of students scattered along the school grounds.

"I knew it! It's that black van!"

"Hinamori-san!"

Amu turns around, Tadase easily reaching her side.

"You heard it too?"

"Yeah! The music is taking away everyone's heart eggs."

The two quickly transform into Amulet Spade and Platinum Royale, Amu clad in a blue artist outfit while Tadase dons a ruffled princely look. The soft voice singing, speaks a command.

"Take them…X Eggs."

A swarm of X eggs surround the two, easily locking their limbs to their sides. A pained look crosses Amu's features as a realization comes to her. Tears begin to leak at the side of her eyes.

"Hotaru-chan…?! Diamond?!"

Tadase follows Amu's line of sight to see that what Amu said was true. Near the van, was Hotaru herself, a dark Dia floating next to her.

"This can't be happening…..Hotaru!!!"

"Hinamori-san, get a hold of yourself! We have to escape first before we can do anything!! Urgh!"

Both grunt as they struggle, tears pouring down Amu's cheeks.

'_This can't be happening….this can't…'_

"There's too many!!"

Amu's phone slips out of her pocket, her voice happening to activate the auto dial. Their cries fall on deaf ears as a voice helps rise their hope.

"Amu! Tadase! I'm here to help!"

Bib snug around her neck, Yaya runs over, ready to attack, but…the X eggs scare her, her Chara change taking over as she begins to cry.

"What are we going to do?!"

"I don't know!!"

A bowling pin flies toward them, the attack dazing the X eggs, both managing to get free.

"Rima! You came!!"

"Hinamori-san! Now!!"

Both quickly activate their individual powers, the X eggs returning to normal before returning to their creators.

"Darn…"

Hotaru is rushed inside the van as it takes off, Yukari noticing that things weren't going their way tonight. Amu turns her head only to see that the van was gone, her eyebrows furrowing deeply.

"Why…?"

All turn to her, Tadase the only one to understand what was going on in Amu's head. The questions were piling, the tears were falling, and her voice only seemed to rise with each word spoken.

"Hotaru….she's….She's…!!! NOOooo!!!!"

* * *

Kairi was currently sulking outside of the recording studio, his mind troubled.

"Kairi…Once a samurai decides his path, there is no need to give him opinions. That's why I didn't say anything about what you're doing, but right now….you are regretting everything."

Kairi only lowers his head more, his voice pained as he speaks.

"Yes…but that was before….before I knew the Guardians and befriended them…before I found out the way Nee-san had gone about her plan….taking X eggs and flattening them into discs. It's despicable…and before…"

"…they took my sister?"

Kairi's head snaps up at the sound of the older male, the scientist casual despite the dark circles beginning to form behind his glasses.

"Nikaidou-san?"

"I'm surprised you're not inside. Something on your mind?"

He doesn't respond, finally finding his voice after a few seconds.

"I don't have the obligation to answer. You are no longer an Easter employee, nor the boyfriend of Nee-san."

Nikaidou frowns, not having wanting to talk about his old relationship with Yukari Sanjo, but easily redirecting the subject.

"Judging by the look of your face…I'd say that the Guardians discovered your true reason for joining them…."

Kairi doesn't answer as he recalls back to the night a few days ago.

(Flashback)

His sister had just drove off, him needing to stay behind to play the role of a good Guardian. He was quickly trying to get rid of the remaining CD discs he still held, not wanting to correspond with his sister's wishes anymore.

"I need to get rid of these before-"

"Oh! Class president! There you are! I was just talking about-"

He quickly turns to face him, the fragile bag ripping and revealing it's contents. The Guardians gasp at the sight, Amu's already sorrowful eyes falling deeper into the pit.

"Class President? It was you…? You were passing out the Wishing CD?!"

Kairi begins to make a run for it, but their voices manage to halt him.

"Hey! Wait!"

"We're wrong, right? You would never…."

Amu trails off, her hope faltering at the silence filling between them.

"Unbelievable…You still believe in me. At this point, it's not ignorance, it's stupidity."

He turns to them, a devious smirk placed perfectly, his conflicting emotions hidden well.

"Don't you get it? I'm a spy for Easter. You're enemy."

All gasp, Amu taking a hesitant step forward.

"So…You knew? About Hotaru-chan? You knew where she was?! Tell me! Tell me why she's working for Easter!! Tell me!!!"

He doesn't respond to her as he takes off, the three only able to watch dejectedly as he disappears into the night.

(End Flashback)

"I appreciate you keeping quiet about it until now."

Nikaidou shakes his head, not wanting to accept the gratitude.

"I didn't for you. I'm not rooting for either side, but…I honestly couldn't bring myself to tell Himamori-san about Hotaru being kidnapped. Besides…"

A small smile rises on his lips, despite the tired look in his eyes.

"You act so mature and nonchalant, I wanted to see how the Guardians would change you. They're a nice group of kids really…"

"How could you tell they would even change me?"

Nikaidou's smile transforms into a smirk as he begins to walk away.

"Because Hotaru has already started pulling out the real you….She tends to have that effect on people she cares about."

Kairi is quiet as he watches Nikaidou disappear, a few cars zooming by.

"The real…me…?"

* * *

The Guardians were in the middle of their meeting, their minds desperate to find a solution to the current problem on their minds.

"Look, here's an article featuring Utau Hoshina's manager!"

"She looks like Sanjo-kun!"

"So his sister is a part of Easter."

Rima pulls a few strands out of her face.

"So, this proves it. Jack was a spy for Easter. He was passing out the Wishing CD at school. He even went after Tadase-kun."

Yaya stands up, her chair screeching across the brick design the table arrangement was set upon.

"That jerk!! Besides, I didn't like him from the start! He took my position as the youngest of the Guardians….He orders people around and he was so uptight about his Guardian duties! He worked harder than anyone else! Harder…."

She trails off, her anger fully vented only to be replaced with more sadness. She sits in her seat once more as Amu's expression becomes determined.

"I'm going to try and talk to him again. I can't honestly believe that what he said is how he really felt."

"You do realize that he's absent today, right?"

All turn around, Nikaidou waving casually at them, his other hand trying to stop a yawn from escaping.

"Nikaidou-sensei?!"

Little Suu floats over, her feminine voice quick to question him.

"Hello Sensei? Are you eating well? Is your room clean?"

Nikaidou's eye lids lower a bit, a reminiscent look taking over.

"Geez…You sound just like Hotaru…."

Everyone is quiet for awhile after that response, unsure of how to go about that. After awhile, Amu stands up, a concerned look in her eyes. She could only imagine what Nikaidou was going through, it was HIS sister after all.

"Nikaidou-sensei…What are you doing here?"

Nikaidou pushes himself off of the wall he was leaning on, his hand reaching into his pocket to pull out a concert ticket, the name Black Diamond printed across the front.

"This was given to me…I thought that you guys could use it more than I could."

All are quiet, Nikaidou actually having found the ticket on the ground. He had been quick to snatch it up, the ticket his ray of hope to get his sister back. A smile breaks out onto the Guardians faces, faith emitting from them.

"Really? We can have it?!"

Nikaidou nods his head, his finger held up to show he had one request. They only needed to lock eyes to get what was on his mind. Amu smiles.

"We'll do our best!!"

* * *

"Where is the concert being held?"

"I don't know!"

The Guardians were currently running down a sidewalk, their capes ruffling in the wind except for Amu who doesn't wear one. El is with them, her head lifting up after awhile.

"Hold on…I think I sense Utau…"

She makes a turn down a corner, the others close behind.

"This way!!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Wow...finally...another chapter...Well, if it makes you guys feel any better. I'm out of my slump...somewhat, so hopefully I'll be posting more often...on this story anyways. I actually wrote another chapter for 'A Match Made in Heaven?' and I didn't like it...so it's getting worked on. In the meantime, I hope you guys stick by me. Later~**


	23. A Pinky Promise to Be Kept

**Author's Note: Yay~ Look another chapter! And I have good news....I'm out of my slump! Awesome! Thanks to a new volume of Black Bird and a lot of emotional music, I finally got the urge to write again. I must admit, it's good to be back, especially after all the stuff that's been happening at home. *sigh* Anyways, moving on, it's just occurred to me that there might be some of you out there slightly rooting for Kairi, so I decided that IF...big IF...since I might not be exactly right, IF you guys want to, you can write a small little chapter of Hotaru and Kairi for the contest...interesting twist, neh? Should I allow you access to other guy characters too? Yeah, sure why not...I'm not picky. I love to see creativeness.**

**Can't believe that I'm only one chapter away from 25 and I can assure you that it will be posted next friday, so the deadline is coming up. I hope you guys are all ready! Now, onward with the chapter!**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: 13Lulu's, Witchgirl1590 and i love athrun for reviewing my last chapter. Glad to know that some of my readers haven't left!  
**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 23: A Pinky Promise to Be Kept**

"The gathered radiance…A black diamond…"

A whole crowd of young kids and teenagers are screaming, the group before them entrancing.

"It's their major debut!"

"A new member joined!"

Center stage and at the microphone was Hotaru, her hair pulled up into a bun, her hair long enough for the excess to stream down toward her waist. Sunglasses were on her face as her body moved to her voice. Not too far away to her right was Ikuto, his violin in hand, shades adorning his face as well. He was playing the music, but his eyes and mind were only on one person. The twinge in his chest only confused him further.

'_Normally I wouldn't care what they do or to whom, but…'_

"WWwwaaaiiiittt!"

The entrance bursts open, the music halting as everyone turns around.

"It's Amulet Angel. In the name of love, I shall punish you!"

"Hinamori…"

"That sounds kind of familiar…"

"I don't know you…"

Amu's cheeks take on a dark red as she grabs the sides of her face in embarrassment.

"El! What are you making me do?"

**[A Heroine always has to make a dramatic entrance!]**

"Amu?"

"Amu-san?"

Ikuto and Kairi are shocked at the sight of Amu and the rest of the Guardians, but Yukari only chuckles.

"I figured they'd show their faces. Hotaru…"

Hotaru is quick to react, Ikuto's key glowing as her clothes change. Her hair is pulled into two loops near her neck, diamond accessories holding them up. A dress covers her body, the main pattern one of diamonds, the skirt opening up at her upper thigh before cutting off above her knees. Fingerless gloves were on her hands as she waves one forward, X eggs following her call. The others are shocked to see the audience on the floor, their bodies motionless.

"The audience, their eggs…!"

Utau suddenly steps forward, Hotaru's transformation dropping, said girl falling to her knees. Ikuto's eyes widen as his key begins to glow once more, Utau's clothes changing into those similar to Diamond's.

"She..!"

Those watching are in shock as Utau Character Transforms with Diamond, Hotaru now sitting on the ground, her eyes empty as usual. Ikuto notices the key shining and frowns. He begins to head over to Hotaru, but Yukari gets in his way.

"Don't forget your place Ikuto."

Ikuto's frown deepens as he stands his ground.

"Get out of my way Utau."

"You're in my way, you know?"

The two stare down as Utau begins to send attacks towards Amu, her other hand guiding the X eggs towards her. The others watch in shock, mainly in fear of getting in the way. It's when Amu notices Ikuto's disappearance and Yukari tugging on Hotaru's arm does she become serious.

"Let her go!"

Amu begins to step forward, Hotaru in her line of sight.

"Wait!"

…but someone stops her. Amu's eyes raise to notice a wooden sword in front of her, Kairi pushing up his glasses, a challenge set in his orbs.

"Class president…"

"From now on, I'm your enemy Joker."

Utau, having noticed that Ikuto was gone, takes off after him. Yukari, realizing she cannot move Hotaru, leaves without her, a plan to retrieve her beginning to form. Amu can no longer watch though as Kairi begins to attack her quickly, Amu barely managing to dodge the swipes.

"Hey! Wah!"

"I'm sorry, but I have to cut you down!"

Amu can no longer do anything, but thankfully for her, her Chara are one step ahead of her.

**[Quick! Switch!]**

Kairi is shocked by his sword being halted, his eyes quick to take in the pink baton in Amu's hands, her outfit now one of a cheerleader. She was now Amulet Heart.

"It was a lie, right, class president? If you were our enemy, then-"

Kairi is quick to cut her off, his sword now inches from Amu's face.

"This is our battlefield."

Ikuto was currently lurking in the shadows outside the side entrance, his ears twitching at the sound of Utau and Yukari coming. He waits for their voices to vanish before heading back into the building, his keen eyes having only noticed one thing.

'_Hotaru wasn't with them…'_

"You're…you're lying…"

As the two stare down, the X eggs begin to gather, the others taking notice.

"Quick! Let's help!"

Yaya raises a fist into the air, her enthusiasm showing.

"Time for a Pepe transformation!"

"Character Transformation!"

All three change into their individuals forms, Platinum Royale, Clown Drop, and Dear Baby, each beginning to battle off some of the X eggs, but it was obvious that they were outnumbered. Hotaru was still in place, her eyes on the group before her.

"Am…u….Kai…ri…."

She begins to raise to her feet, her legs struggling after having transformed with a Chara that wasn't her own, her eyes beginning to switch between their empty state and their usual fawn like state.

"…st…op…."

Sweat was beginning to run down Kairi's face, his mind glad that his hair was pulled into a ponytail like those of the samurai.

"So this…is the power of the humpty lock…"

Musashi floats to his side.

"Don't give up Kairi!"

The X eggs begin to form into a singular group.

"They're getting together!"

Tadase holds up his scepter, his voice laced with resolve.

"Holy crown!"

…but his attack does nothing. Yaya is quick to step in, her confidence overflowing.

"Leave it to me! One, two--Merry merry!"

Above her head appears a mobile, the melody emitting from it soft and child-like. The others are a bit shocked by the attack, but begin to rejoice when the X eggs begin to slowly go to the ground. Amu begins to back away from Kairi, Suu quick to come by and switch off with Ran.

"Amulet Clover! Sweet Appliqué!"

Whisk and sewing materials in hand, a ribbon arrangement appears on Kairi's sword, the boy shocked by the weird assault. Tadase and Rima jump back, the X eggs having recovered from their nap. They were busy defending themselves, their attacks doing little to no damage to the X eggs. No one seems to notice Hotaru gradually walking over to them when her hand grips her head, her head shaking slightly as if to rid herself of unwanted thoughts. After awhile, she looks up, her mind cleared somewhat as her eyes take in everything.

"What's….going on?"

She notices Amu and Kairi in a stare down with each other, a small gasp escaping her lips.

"Don't you get it Joker! No matter what you do, you're going to lose. Fight me! I'm your enemy."

"Is this true?"

Her voice seems to break the air as everyone turns to her, Hotaru's eyes wide in shock and fear. She had no idea where she was or how she got there, all she knew was that Kairi had admitted to being their enemy…

…and she didn't like that one bit.

Hotaru's hand comes to grasp the front of the summer dress she was currently clad in, her eyebrows furrowing in pain, her hair having returned to the bun, a black ribbon holding it securely.

"Tell me this isn't true Kairi-kun? You wouldn't do that, right?"

Everyone is quiet as Kairi hangs his head before raising it once more, a sinister smirk on his face. Hotaru's eyes widen more at the sight, her feet taking her forward even more.

"You truly are naïve Hotaru."

A gasp.

"Kairi! You can't possibly mean that! I still believe in you! I know that what you're doing isn't the real you!"

As she says this, her voice rises with each statement, tears welling up in her emerald eyes. Unfortunately, it only seems to attract unwanted attention, the X eggs quick to notice Hotaru's lack of power. Rima's voice rises above the ruckus.

"Hotaru-san! They're coming toward you!"

Hotaru continues forward.

"I know that the Kairi I know and love, is the real you! The you that you are when you're around Amu and the others!"

Kairi's body is frozen as his mind begins to recall his thoughts when he was younger.

'_The real me…?'_

(Flashback)

A young Kairi is reading a book, his eyes in awe at the pages before him as he takes in every word. Behind him, peeking over his shoulder is a younger Hotaru, her lavender hair pulled into a side ponytail as she reads along with him. As they finish the book, Kairi turns to Hotaru, a smile on his face.

"Musashi Miyamoto has never lost a battle! He's so cool!"

Hotaru only giggles at Kairi's enthusiasm, her eyes lighting up along with his. He stands up, waving an invisible sword, his legs going into a few stances that he had memorized from the book. After awhile, he turns to Hotaru, his smile seeming to have widened.

"I want to be a samurai! A cool, strong samurai!"

Hotaru tilts her head to the side in question.

"A samurai?"

Kairi nods his head.

"But you know, I'm not just going to be strong. If someone weak is getting picked on, I'll save them! Like a gentle samurai!"

Hotaru giggles, holding out her pinky to the young Kairi.

"Then promise…Pinky promise that whenever I'm in trouble, samurai Kairi will come and save me."

Kairi nods his head enthusiastically before linking pinkies with her, a slight blush on his face, his eyes bearing deep promise.

"I promise."

(End Flashback)

"Hotaru! Above you!"

Hotaru's head raises in time, her body quick to roll to the side. She comes to a stop, her arms struggling to push herself up. Her energy was low.

"Look out!"

"Hotaru!"

"Get out of there!"

Amu's golden eyes begin to well up with tears as Kairi's thoughts come to a conclusion.

'_A gentle samurai…'_

"It's too late…"

"_Pinky promise that whenever I'm in trouble, samurai Kairi will come and save me."_

Hotaru's eyes widen in shock, before throwing her arms over her head, her body trembling and bracing itself for the blow to come.

"Aah!"

…but the blow never hits.

A blinding light causes Hotaru to raise her head once more, her eyes widening at the amazing sight before her. Blades in hand, body garbed in a samurai outfit is Kairi, his stance poised and beautiful.

'_He protected me…'_

Kairi turns his head to Hotaru, a soft smile on his face, his words barely above a whisper.

'_Unlock my heart…'_

"I promised…"

Hotaru is unable to fight the blush that rises to her cheeks, her ears having managed to catch his words. A soft smile takes to her face.

'_He remembered…?'_

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note: Yay! I have to admit that I did like this one and for those of you who don't like having Kairi having a small place in Hotaru's heart, I apologize, but I have to admit...that besides Ikuto, I do love Kairi. He's so cute! Honestly, if I got enough people, I would probably write an ending where she ends up with him. lol but that's only. So, I hoped you enjoyed it and look forward to the next chapter next friday on the 14th! Yeah!  
**


	24. A Diamond with No Scratches

**Author's Note: Here's my chapter, just like I promised! Yay!...I don't have much else to say this time, so enjoy!**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: Arashiwolf for their review! Woot~  
**

_****Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 24: A Diamond with No Scratches**

Everyone's faces light up at seeing Kairi joining their side once more, Amu's voice heard throughout everything.

"Let's go, Kairi!"

"Right, joker!"

Amu raises the whisk in her hand as Kairi pulls out his two blades, the two seeming to be in sync

"Lightning Blade!"

"Remake Honey!"

Everyone sighs in relief as the eggs return to normal, but it's Tadase who seems to be at a loss for words, his eyes on a gleaming egg.

"It's the pure white egg again!"

He reaches out to it only for it to take off. Kairi helps Hotaru to her feet, her frail body leaning on his a bit as everyone rejoices.

"Class President!"

He looks around at everyone, his words a bit stuck in his throat.

"Everyone…I'm so-"

"Stop it."

Kairi turns to Rima, a bit shocked by her sudden outburst.

"We forgive you since you came back!"

A soft smile appears on Kairi's lips as he quotes.

"If you study a way daily and your spirit diverges…you may think you are obeying a good way, but objectively it is not the true way."

Hotaru's face lights up a bit as everyone raises an eyebrow.

"What's that?"

"Some sort of spell?"

Kairi shakes his head as Hotaru giggles and answers them.

"It's the words of Musashi Miyamoto."

Kairi nods his head.

"Even though you may think you're correct, you may be wrong. That's why you always have to reflect on what is correct."

Hotaru nods her head as Kairi turns to her, a gentlemanly smile on his lips. Hotaru notices, his expression causing a slight tint to her cheeks.

"My correct way…is you Hotaru-san."

Hotaru's face darkens even more as several of the Guardian's question his words or smirk. Musashi clears his throat.

"Sorry to interrupt but…"

Kairi turns to everyone, Hotaru turning away a bit, his face becoming stern.

"We might have a bit of a problem. The Black Diamonds are planning on debuting."

Everyone gasps audibly, a bit in shock by this except for Hotaru. She tilts her head a bit, her confusion etched on her features.

"Black Diamonds?"

Everyone seems to look away in one way or another as she looks at each of them. Amu steps forward, a bright look in her eyes as she places a hand on Hotaru's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it."

Hotaru nods her head as Kairi continues.

"Their recording is finished. Their debut single is a lot stronger than the wishing CD. Tomorrow night, a helicopter is going to leave carrying the master CD and many X eggs. Once it takes off, it will be impossible to stop."

Tadase takes a step forward.

"We can't let that happen!"

"We need to stop the helicopter from leaving!"

Amu's face becomes serious as the Guardians nod to each other. After a few seconds, Amu's smile returns in place as they begin to head outside.

"At least we have Hotaru back."

Everyone cheers, agreeing with her when Hotaru suddenly stops walking, her heartbeat beginning to accelerate. Kairi turns to her, a question in his eyes.

"Hotaru-san? Are you alright?"

Hotaru suddenly begins to grip her head tightly, her voice screaming.

"Aaaggghhhh!"

She falls to her knees, the Chara's eyes widening as they spot the dark aura surrounding Hotaru's ribbon.

"You need to-"

They're cut off as Ikuto suddenly appears, knocking the ones closest a bit back, just in time to catch Hotaru in his arms as she goes unconscious. Everyone takes a defensive stance as he eyes each of them. Amu's eyebrows lower.

"What do you think you're doing? We just got her back!"

Ikuto's voice is monotone as he responds.

"Unfortunately, none of us can get her back officially until we figure out the source behind her control…and…"

He cuts off, unable to finish before he hears a honking horn. He tosses something into the air before disappearing before their eyes. Amu manages to catch one of the falling items as Kairi catches the other. The others rush over, their eyes peeking into what's in their hands. Amu's voice is barely above a whisper.

"Hotaru's heart eggs…"

She looks at Kairi, his eyes on her as well as the eggs. A few small voices emit from them as the two detach the stickers holding them closed. Kia and Lily float out, both beginning to look around at their surroundings.

"Where's Hotaru-chan?"

"Where are we?"

The two turn to the Guardians, worried expressions on each of their faces. Amu shakes her head, an apologetic look in her eyes.

"Easter kidnapped her…but don't worry…"

Amu's eyes narrow.

"We're going to do everything to get her back!"

* * *

Yukari was currently driving the van as Utau, Ikuto and an unconscious Hotaru sit in the back. Ikuto's eyes were on Hotaru's face, her expression calm and unmarred. Utau was secretly seething in her spot, tears threatening to fill in her eyes, screams caught in her throat.

"I'm so glad that you retrieved her Ikuto. Glad to know that you know the seriousness behind this."

Ikuto is quiet, hating the turn of events that things had taken. If he knew how they were controlling her, he would've gladly left her with Amu and the others. He sighs.

"Yeah, yeah…"

* * *

"Do you like it, Mr. Director? This will go live tomorrow."

Yukari currently had a laptop in her hands, the screen having just finished a recording from Black Diamonds. A man deep in the shadows sits in his chair, his mind contemplating.

"And I can expect results from this?"

"Of course. This debut single uses a stronger master recording, it's much stronger than the prototype Wishing CD."

"What do you mean?"

Utau watched as the two continued to discuss things, her ears easily listening in on their conversation.

"This song will go around like a virus and eternally take away Heart eggs from children. Once we do that, finding the Embryo will be a piece of cake."

Utau's eyes widen in shock, her hands clenching a bit. At the moment she was a bit disgusted with herself. After Yukari had discovered that Utau could also transform with Diamond, she had both Hotaru and Utau do the recording. Her thoughts were on the words she had shouted to Amu and the others.

'…_I sing for Ikuto!'_

She sighs.

* * *

Amu was currently on the steps, Tadase sitting alongside her. She had been a bit surprised when she had spotted Kiseki outside on her balcony, but she couldn't say that she wasn't happy that she was spending time with her crush.

"So, did you need something?"

"Yes, actually, I needed to discuss two things with you."

Amu's hand is desperately trying to fix her just washed pink locks as she responds.

"Two things?"

"The first thing is about Utau Hoshina, since we have to face her tomorrow."

Amu's eyes widen at this, her mind unsure of how to reply to this.

"My family is close to the Tsukiyomi family…and when I was younger, I used to play with the Tsukiyomi kids."

Amu's face becomes one of bewilderment.

"What? Utau and Ikuto? You knew them?"

Tadase just smiles.

"Yeah. Utau-chan hasn't changed a bit since then…It was so fun back then, although those days won't come back….I haven't seen Utau-chan since she entered junior high, but the old Utau just loved to sing….so…."

Tadase turns to Amu, the lights seeming to light up the night sky a bit.

"…I think as long as we give her a chance, we can come to an understanding…"

Amu nods in understanding, a small blush taking to her cheeks.

"Yeah, I think so too…"

* * *

**(The Next Night)**

Yukari looks out over the lake, Utau and Hotaru standing behind her quietly.

"Here we are. The view is so pretty too. We just have to get on that helicopter to go to the airport and head to the studio in Los Angeles. I'll load a bunch of X eggs into this master CD, do the mixing, then we're done. You two will be the world's divas."

Utau stares off into space.

"But…I'm not doing it on my own."

Yukari sighs.

"Not that again…Utau, what's wrong? No matter what you do, a win is a win. You need to be prepared to push the competition down. You need a strong will. You have that strength, that's why I'm with you."

Utau doesn't respond to her, instead only looking up at the dark night sky.

"You can't see the stars…"

A bright light though causes the two to turn around, only to see a silhouette.

"Stop right there! The evil hides in the darkness and I can't let it get away!"

Amu moves into a flashy pose, the other Guardians standing behind her.

"The Angel of Justice, Amulet Angel, along with extras, the Guardians, have arrived!"

Amu's mind is running a mile a minute at El's flashy entrance. Utau seems to snap out of her slump as Hotaru watches on emotionlessly, said girl wrapped in a sweater and long dress, her hair held up by a black ribbon into a braid.

"Amu! You're still transforming with that useless El?"

"And you keep transforming with Diamond!"

Both are shocked as Diamond speaks, the Chara's small hands held to her heart.

"I can hear you heart's whispers. You're lost."

Amu's eyes widen in disbelief, unsure of how to take the new bit of information.

"Even if you can save your friend and the X eggs, you still don't know yourself. You're floating and vague. That's why your sparkle is weak."

A frown settles upon Amu's face as Rima turns to her, the petite girl clad in a jester outfit.

"Don't let it get to you Amu!"

"Yes, I don't know…Maybe that's why I have so many guardian characters."

Diamond crosses her arms.

"Yes, that's your answer. Then why are you here?"

"That's because-"

"Diamond, what are you doing? Forget about it! Il!"

Utau's outfit returns once more to that of Lunatic Charm, her attack of dark butterflies following quickly afterwards. Amu is thrown back by the attack, Hotaru watching on.

"You have no time to look the other way! We'll settle this tonight!"

A trident suddenly appears in Utau's hands, the singer non-hesitant in swinging it at Amu.

"Whoa! You're serious, aren't you? Let's go, El!"

Amu dashes forward only to suddenly have two white flags appear in her hands, the poles halting Utau's assault. Tadase and the others watch on as Kairi begins to head towards Hotaru. It's when he's a few feet away that an attack stops him.

"Slash claw!"

Kairi is thrown back a bit, barely managing to block the blow with his blades. Tadase, Yaya, and Rima rush to his side, frowns set on their faces.

"You guys are dealing with me."

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi!"

"That's right, that key has the same power as the humpty lock! That's why Utau was able to character transform with El!"

"Let's go!"

"Yeah!"

The others begin to fight, their attacks seeming to do no damage to Ikuto. Hotaru's frail body begins to step forward towards them, her eyes scrunched in pain. Her mind is running wild with the urge to take control, the hold on her stronger than before.

'_Ikuto…! No!'_

Amu turns to everyone only to have the flags knocked out of her hands, Utau's trident a few inches from her face.

"You don't have time to be worried about your friends. You have no weapons, what are you going to do?"

Amu's face sets into determination.

'_She's right.'_

"What's wrong, Amu? If you're not attacking, I'll attack you!"

Ran rushes to Amu's side, encouraging El to switch with her, but El manages another plot. She's able to connect with Il, explaining to her that they shouldn't fight anymore and they need to save Utau-chan. Somehow managing to convince her, both of Utau's and Amu's transformations unravel, leaving both girl's stunned. Utau's smile becomes sinister.

"If that's how you two want to be, fine. I don't need either of you! I still have diamond!"

Utau quickly changes into Dark Jewel as Il forces herself onto Amu, said girl transforming into Amulet Devil. Amu's face is a bit red at the outfit but still pulls out a guitar, her attack stronger than Utau's. Ikuto looks back, noticing the difference.

"Utau's losing…"

The others notice, their voices beginning to cheer.

"Yeah!"

"Go for it, Amu!"

This seems to anger Utau as her next attack sends Il flying backwards and out of Amu.

"Ah! How strong…"

"That's right! I am strong! I'm strong because I got rid of the naïve, soft side of me! You wouldn't understand because you're so wishy-washy! I've been fighting with my song! I've been winning! I gave so much effort behind the spotlight! You use kindness as an excuse to be weak! You don't care if you lose!"

The others listen on, Hotaru's ears having caught each word, tears slipping past her emotionless eyes.

'_Utau…'_

'_Utau's sparkle has no scratches.'_

Amu's eyes widen at hearing Diamond's voice.

"This voice…Diamond?"

'Diamonds have no scratches, that's why they sparkle beautifully. Her strong will and determination is what makes her sparkle. The same can be said for your friend. Are you going to be able to sparkly, staying just the way you are?'

Amu lowers her head, her voice unwavering.

"I do feel frustrated. There's no one who would feel happy when they lose. Of course I'll feel frustrated if I lose, but losing….getting hurt is not the end of it."

Amu's head rises, her body seeming to glow with resolve.

"If I have the will to try harder next time, I'll get stronger when I get hurt. People who know loss should be able to shine too. I still don't know what the real me is like. I might be someone who is wishy-washy, but I believe in it. I believe the sparkles inside of me."

Utau's body stops moving at the end of Amu's speech, everyone in awe at the wisdom behind the words spoken.

'_I see….that's your answer.'_

Utau's clothes begin to glow as does the Humpty lock and Dumpty key. Amu begins to shine as well, her body beginning to transform, the light so bright.

'_Unlock…my heart?'_

_

* * *

_

__**Author's Notes: There goes another chapter and like I said, the deadline is here! You guys have until the end of tomorrow to send me your story ideas. You can email it to me if you want:**

**Or you can send it to my inbox. Either way, I can't wait to see what ideas you guys have come up with. So excited. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Next one will be up next friday!  
**


	25. One Door Closes, Another Egg is Born

**Author's Note: So...I realized I said the deadline was next friday when I posted Chapter 25...I realized I only posted chapter 24, so here! It's to make up a bit for the lack of not posting. he he ^-^; Enjoy!**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: I love athrun and witchgirl1590 for their reviews!**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 25: One Door Closes, Another Egg is Born  
**

'_Character Transformation….Amulet Diamond!'_

Amu's body seems to emit a light as Utau's transformation disappears. Hotaru's eyes widen at Amu's sparkle, the light seeming to cause her body to tingle somewhat.

'_Amu is shining…'_

At this thought, Hotaru's body seems to glow as her ribbon fades off, her clothes changing into that of an acrobat, her hairstyle and outfit similar to Lily's. She inspects herself as Kia floats over, a smile on the ninja's face.

"Hotaru-chan!"

"Kia…I'm…I'm free…."

Her voice manages to catch Ikuto's and Kairi's attention, their eyes and faces seeming to light up at Hotaru's smile. Utau can only watch, the idol currently sitting on the ground.

"I can't…get up…"

El and Il watch from afar, both concerned about their creator.

"Transforming with someone else's guardian character is tiring. Utau has been transforming with Diamond and now has no power…left to fight…"

Utau's head lowers, tears beginning to pour down her face.

"Why? I've been working hard to be the best. I didn't want to lose to anyone, but…why is everyone leaving me?"

"It's Utau-chan!"

Everyone turns around, all surprised at the sudden appearance of Amu's little sister, Ami. Ami tries to run over to Utau, but Amu manages to stop her. Amu smiles apologetically at her.

"Sorry, my sister is a big fan of yours…she's always imitating you in front of the TV."

Ami, managing to slip away from her sister's hold, rushes over to Utau, the toddler's eyes seeming to glow brightly.

"Sing a song for me, Utau-chan! I'll sing too!"

Ami pulls out a microphone, the young girl beginning to sing one of Utau's songs. Utau watches on in awe, her mind seeming to recall similar memories of what she used to do when she was a child. After a minute or so, Utau begins to sing along, her melody soft and beautiful.

"There's no stage or lights, but this is one of her best shows yet."

Everyone nods in agreement, El and Il smiling happily.

"She wanted people to be happy listening to her songs. I was born from those feelings."

"Forget about weapons. No one holds Utau's singing back."

No one seems to notice as Yukari gets on the helicopter until she yells.

"Fine! I'll go on my own then!"

The others watch helplessly as the helicopter begins to take off.

"Shoot! The helicopter!"

"Oh no! If she leaves…"

Hotaru is watching on as Ikuto walks over to her, his eyes on the helicopter. Hotaru places her hand over his, her eyebrows furrowed in fear. Everyone watches in fear as the flying vehicle begins to swerve in an odd pattern.

"What's going on?"

"Look!"

Small X characters begin to appear, showing that the X eggs on board the helicopter hatched.

"Maybe they all hatched because of the key and lock."

Kairi steps forward.

"Nee-san!"

"It's going to crash!"

"We need to help them! El…"

Utau turns to the small angel, her face filled with purpose.

"…will you help me?"

El's face lights up, her eager response a yes. Utau's clothes change once more into that of a beautiful, elegant angel, frills and ribbons galore. Amu's face lights up at the change. Utau turns to her.

"We have no time! Let's work together!"

Amu nods her head.

"Right!"

Both take off toward the sky, Utau beginning to sing another soft song, her voice filling the air. Everyone watches as the eggs begin to return to their eggs.

"Wow, I didn't know that El had such amazing powers."

Things seem to be fine until the helicopter begins to teeter again, Yukari beginning to fall out of the plane. Utau rushes forward.

"Sanjo-san!"

"Go, Utau! I'll take care of the helicopter!"

In Amu's hand appears a wand of sorts, Amu quick to point it at the falling vehicle, the light surrounding it and easily guiding it close to the ground. Hotaru smiles as she rushes forward, her arms widening.

"My turn! Trapeze flower net!"

A net, made of the same flowers that are in Hotaru's hair, appears, allowing the helicopter to ease to the ground. Cheers are heard as it gently touches the ground, Yukari in Utau's arms.

"Utau…"

"I'm glad that you're safe."

"Why did you save me? I thought you hated me?"

Utau's smile is soft, feathers floating around her.

"We've been working together all this time. You can't leave me now."

Overcome with emotion, Yukari wraps her arms around Utau's neck, Kairi sweat dropping at his sister's actions.

"Utau…"

Utau turns her head to spot Ikuto, said teen's arm around Hotaru's shoulders protectively.

"You can sing it now, right? A song for yourself and not for me?"

Utau only smiles, the moment ruined by the shining glow in the sky. Tadase's eyes easily spot the gleaming egg, his feet quick to take him to the sky towards it.

"The Embryo!"

It's as he gets closer that he spots another hand reaching for it, his eyes landing on none other than Ikuto.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi!"

"I'm taking the Embryo."

But neither of them manage to reach it, the egg once again escaping their grip. As things seem to die down, Hotaru turns to Amu, Diamond's egg in her hand. Hotaru's face seems to soften a bit before she turns her eyes to her own hands.

'_Amu's sparkle was so bright…Utau's song was so beautiful…'_

Her hands tighten.

'_I…want my song to be heard as well…'_

_

* * *

_

"Here we are! This is our new beginning!"

Yukari and Utau are currently standing in front of a building, the sign 'Sanjo Productions' hanging high. Utau turns to her manager, a worried look on her face.

"Are you sure you're okay? Leaving Easter and starting a new production company?"

"Once I defied Easter, no other company would have me, but as long as we have your songs and my skills, it'll be okay!"

Nikaidou, Kairi and Hotaru watch in wonder at the building. A frown sets upon Nikaidou's face.

"Yukari! There's no elevators!"

A box is in each of their arms, all of them helping the two move.

"I think it's nice."

"It's an old fashioned building. The sound of footsteps on the stairs brings back nostalgic feelings."

Hotaru smiles at Kairi's observation. Nikaidou walks over to Yukari, his arms beginning to tremble from the weight of the boxes.

"You called us to help you move?"

"Of course. I don't have extra money for movers. I used all of my money to start this company."

"So? We have no obligation to help you."

"Yeah, but why not? I know you're bored on the weekends."

Hotaru and Kairi watch on in amusement as Musashi and El comment.

"Heh."

"I see romance rekindling."

"Hello! I came to help!"

Amu rushes over, Hotaru watching as Utau and Amu begin to duke it out somewhat.

"Those two are so stubborn."

"That is true."

As the two begin to laugh, Utau suddenly turns to Hotaru, a finger pointed in her direction.

"Don't think I owe you anything! I'm not giving you Ikuto even if you're nice to me."

Everyone is a bit thrown off by the suddenness of her statement. Everyone begins to lift boxes inside, Hotaru managing to catch Utau alone.

"Speaking of who…have you seen him lately?"

Utau shakes her head.

"I haven't seen him since that night."

Hotaru lowers her head a bit only to notice Utau sending daggers in her direction.

"He's not staying at your place, is he?"

Hotaru's face turns red at the thought, flashes of Ikuto's last visit running through her head.

"Of course not!"

After a few more boxes, Kairi calls to Hotaru.

"Hotaru-san…"

Hotaru turns to him, a question in her eyes.

"This isn't the only move. Actually after this…I'm moving too."

Hotaru's eyes widen.

'_What?'_

_

* * *

_

"You're returning to your old school?"

Hotaru and the Guardians are currently at the train station, Kairi in front and waiting to board his train.

"Why? You've only been here a little while!"

"I only came to help my sister."

"I was supposed to return by the third quarter. My parents are waiting and my classmates too. I am the president of my class."

Amu and Yaya laugh.

"I knew it!"

Amu's smile falters as Rima steps forward.

"That's not fair we need you too."

"That's right. The Guardians were working well because of you."

Kairi shakes his head, a soft smile on his face.

"With the bonds you have, you'll work fine. The King can guide all of you well."

Hotaru is standing behind the others, a forlorn look on her face. She was obviously not happy with Kairi leaving, after having seen him again after so long. Kairi notices her not saying anything and walks over to her.

"Hotaru-san."

Hotaru lifts her head, forcing a smile.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"I have something to say."

Hotaru's eyes widen a bit, everyone now listening to their conversation.

"What is it, Kairi-kun?"

Kairi steps forward, gently grabbing a hold of Hotaru's hand, placing a tender kiss to the back. Hotaru's eyes widen even more, her cheeks taking a slight tint. She watches in awe as Kairi raises his head, his eye set with determination.

"I love you, Hotaru Nikaidou."

The Guardian's gasp in surprise, Amu silently encouraging Kairi.

"W-Wha-"

"Now and forever, it will never change. I love you."

Kairi pulls back, his hand still holding onto Hotaru's.

"But I'm not good enough for you yet. I need to work harder to find the correct path, so…I will return when I become a better man. I promise!"

Kairi releases her hand, a whistle going off to symbolize the train boarding. Hotaru is frozen in shock, her face a deep red, never having suspected that the person that Kairi had feelings for was her. The girls rush over to her.

"Hotaru, you're frozen stiff."

"I…"

"You should say something memorable."

"Hurry Hotaru, he's leaving!"

As Kairi is about to board the train, Hotaru rushes over.

"Kairi!"

He turns his head to see her running over as the train begins to take off.

"Thank you! I hope we see each other again soon!"

All she sees is Kairi's bliss-filled smile before disappearing from sight. Hotaru looks down at the new egg hanging around her neck, the light blue egg having bubbles and a harp on it.

'_Until next time….Kairi…hopefully by then…I'll be able to sing my song…'_

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note: *Sigh* Another chapter up...and this time for sure, the next one comes up next friday on the 21st. lol Review please~**

**Added note: For those of you entering my contest, I've decided something. I'm going to let people send me their ideas/scenes until I finish this story. So I guess now you can officially send them. Remember, this is for fun besides the fact that the winning chapter will go up in my story, but....Yeah. lol Have fun  
**


	26. Whichever way the Tail Points

**Author's Note: So here is another chapter! I'm getting my groove back...hopefully no one throws it off. he he ^-^;**

**Contest Stuff: Okay, so after much deliberation, I have decided that the contest will end when this story does. That means that everyone, from now until the end, can send me their story in any way. If you're going to do it through email, be sure to put your name, or if you want to be anonymous, you can put that too. I will have my email address on my page, so, yeah...Remember the winner gets their chapter posted at the end of this story as an extra story, because I will be writing a few of those...and a picture request from yours truly, which will be posted on my deviantart as well. *sigh* Alright, let's move on!**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: This chapter goes to my newest reader, tAkuMi aZuKi! For their lovely review and alerts! Yay!  
**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind__, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 26: Whichever way the Tail Points**

Hotaru was on her balcony, her eyes staring out at the street. It was winter break, so she was stuck at home at the moment. Her eyes stray to the new egg around her neck, Kia and Lily on either of her shoulders.

"Hotaru-chan, I'm sure he's fine."

"Yeah, maybe he lost his phone or something."

Hotaru sighs, rising her head from the railing, another cool breeze blowing through. It was cold, but she was being suffocated in her room.

"I just wish I knew where he was…I haven't heard anything from him."

Hotaru raises her eyes to the sky, her mind solely on one person.

'_Ikuto…'_

_

* * *

_

"And then? Once again you couldn't get the Embryo?"

An older man bows his head, a look of fear in his eyes.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Boss."

Ikuto stands to the side, his eyes on the Dumpty key in his hand. He clenches his fingers shut, his eyes straining at the dark area in front of him, a voice emitting from it. He watches as the older man begins to explain the plan that had failed. Not being able to take anymore, he walks out, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. After a minute or so, he hears a voice.

"Ikuto!"

Ikuto stops, his body not fully turning to the man.

"How dare you act that way in front of the boss!"

"It was boring watching you kiss his butt."

"Don't talk to me that way!"

"Anyway…"

Ikuto holds his hand out, a small smile on his face.

"…can you return my violin, Mr. Executive Director? The deal was that if I cooperated in the Black Diamonds plan, you'd give it back to me. Remember, Mr. Executive Director?"

The Director frowns.

"I told you to stop calling me that. I am your…Never mind. Anyway, the deal is off. The plan was a failure and you let Hotaru get away. I'm going to use that violin for a different purpose."

Ikuto scoffs, his frown apparent now.

"Man…underhanded as always."

"Listen…you can't defy me. I am after all your father and if you plan on disobeying, don't think we'll hesitate in getting a hold of Hotaru again."

Ikuto stiffens at this bit of news, having known deep down that they would play that card. Flashes of Hotaru's emotionless face cross his mind, his hands clenching tightly at his sides.

"If you're going to blame anything, blame the fact that you were born a Tsukiyomi. The Tsukiyomi people are going to work for Easter forever…until their death. You were born to that destiny."

Ikuto looks away, sarcasm apparent in his voice.

"Fine "Father"."

He watches as the Director walks away. It's when he can no longer hear his footsteps anymore that Yoru pops out, a key hanging in his mouth. Ikuto takes the key from him, a devious smirk on his lips.

"Yeah, right."

Yoru snickers.

"He was so busy sucking up he didn't even notice I pick pocketed him! The violin is in the safe that can be opened by this key."

Ikuto begins to take off in another direction, ears appearing on his head, his tail flailing behind him.

"I'm sorry, but I'll decide my fate myself. I'm getting my violin back, Mr. Executive Director."

* * *

"Get back here!"

Ikuto is already scaling a wall, his hands pulling his body up by a pole. Angry guards below begin to reach for him but he's already too high up.

"He's already up there!"

"Damn that cat burglar!"

"Get him at all costs!"

Ikuto manages to get away, sweat running down his face.

"Heh, idiots."

Yoru begins to eye the violin case, a dark aura emitting from it.

"Hey, Ikuto…this violin…it's a little…"

* * *

Hotaru sighs, a towel in her hand, her hands rubbing it against her head. Clad in a matching shirt and shorts, she looks around downstairs.

"Onii-chan?"

No response. Hotaru sighs, Kia and Lily observing her.

"I guess he's pulling another all-nighter at the lab."

"That's true, he has been dedicated lately."

Hotaru smiles to herself, for once not sad about being home alone. She couldn't be happier about her brother continuing on with his new leaf life. After the whole incident with her brother having been a part of Easter, he had started a scientist club and he had been busy with inventing new things.

He was hardly home anymore, like usual.

"Well, better get ready for bed then."

Hotaru heads upstairs, the towel now around her neck. As she enters her room, she throws it onto a chair, her eyes roving over to her sliding screen door.

"Oh…it's snowing again…"

She walks over, the sight taking her breath away a bit. Her eyebrows lower a bit.

'_Ikuto…where are you?'_

After awhile, she sighs, pulling away from the door, pulling her curtain closed.

"I'm sure…he's fine…"

Pulling her covers back, her eyes widen at the sight before her, a blush taking to her cheeks before tears begin to fill her eyes. In her bed, is an unconscious Ikuto, his soft angelic face peacefully asleep. The cover falls from Hotaru's hand before everything sinks in.

"I-I-Ikuto-kun!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry the chapter was so short, but there really wasn't much more I could do with it. Hope you enjoyed all the same and I'll post again next week!**


	27. The Tail Leads to

**Author's Note: Yay! It's chapter 27! Whoo-hoo! *takes a deep breath* Now that I got that out of my system. Continuing...**

**I've already gotten a few submissions on the story contest. Have I looked at them...no, not yet, but I actually plan to do so later on today. Does this mean if you send your story late I won't read it? No, that's not what it means. It just means that I'm not going to read all of them last minute.**

**Rating: T because I said so...**

**Dedication: Goes to toricahill19178. Don't worry. I've never thought that you've hated me and to show my love, this chapter is for you! ^-^**

_Summary: Like most popular boys, Ikuto has girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, and there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 27: The Tail Leads to...**

**Once upon a time, a young mermaid had traveled to the surface. At having seen the beautiful sky, she began to sing, her voice soft and melodic. Sailors on a ship not too far away heard her song, deciding to steer their ship toward the beautiful voice only to run into a fog. Blinded, the sailors were unable to see the rocks protruding from the ocean. Their ship crashed…their were no survivors.**

**The mermaid was stricken with grief at this, but decided to continue singing since it seemed the pirates liked her song.**

'_**I want my song to be heard.'**_

**Ship after ship, they crashed, unconsciously being led to their doom by the beautiful music. The mermaid, her heart crushed with sadness, decided to stop singing, afraid to hurt any others. It wasn't until one day she noticed a new ship, a young man aboard taking her breath away. Calling out to him, he spotted her, and so began their secret meetings, their love growing with each one.**

**When questioned if the mermaid sang, she told the sailor of her hardship. Trying to coax her to sing, the sailor tried everything but the mermaid would not produce a note. A new day had begun and with determination set in his eyes, the sailor had new motivation to make the mermaid sing.**

**Unfortunately, a thick, dense fog had began to roll in, the sailor losing sight. The mermaid, noticing this, was afraid of losing the man that she had come to love, so she began to sing…**

**Upon hearing the song, the sailor began to lead his ship toward the voice, his eyes catching sight of the mermaid, the fog now gone.**

**The mermaid had saved the sailor's life and for her great deed, earned the legs to walk along the land with her loved one, where they continued to live happily ever after.**

**

* * *

**

Hotaru was still standing next to her bed, her face a dark crimson at the sight and thought of Ikuto in her bed. Panic begins to well in her eyes.

"What is Ikuto-kun doing in my bed?"

"It's noisy…"

Hotaru halts in her movements at hearing Ikuto's drowsy voice, her eyes spotting Yoru easily.

"I can't sleep…meow…"

"Yoru?"

Hotaru kneels next to her bed, hurriedly grabbing Yoru, her confusion evident in her voice.

"Yoru? What's going on? Explain yourself!"

"Actually, last night…"

**(Flashback)**

Ikuto is sitting on the ground in an alley, snowflakes floating around him. Yoru appears next to him, having just inspected the front of the house.

"It's no use, they're there. We can't get inside."

Ikuto sighs, sweat on his face despite the cold weather.

"It's probably father's orders."

Yoru, noticing the distress on his creator's face, peers forward.

"Ikuto, are you not feeling well?"

"I can't tell, but I don't have any energy…"

Yoru, noticing Ikuto's eyes closing begins tugging on his clothing.

"Ikuto!"

"It's cold, I'm sleepy."

"If you sleep now, you'll die!"

**(End flashback)**

"So, I lent him some of my energy to character transform and take him here. Understand?"

Hotaru is quiet, a small smile on her face.

"Oh, okay then, I guess everything is alright."

A few moments of silence pass.

"Are you crazy? You're just lucky Onii-chan wasn't here! He'd slaughter all of us!"

Sighing, Hotaru releases Yoru, looking over at Ikuto. Taking her bottom lip between her teeth, she paces a bit, a sudden voice causing her to halt.

"Lady Hotaru…"

Quickly motioning for Kia to turn off the light, she slides into bed, throwing the covers over both her and Ikuto. Knowing it was too late to fake sleep, she answers.

"Yes?"

She hears her door open a bit, the butler's voice soft.

"Lady Hotaru, I heard a scream. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Watson, I just slipped but I'm alright. Did you forget something?"

"Yes, just my pocket watch. If you're alright, then I'll go for the night."

Hotaru's heartbeat is running fast, her face mere inches from Ikuto's.

'_He's so close…!'_

"Yes, I'm fine. J-just make sure to lock the door behind you."

"Yes, of course. Good night Lady Hotaru."

"Good night Watson."

She waits until she hears the door lock downstairs before popping her head out from under the covers. Cheeks tinted pink, she eyes Ikuto, his relaxed face comforting her somewhat.

"I guess I can't put him in a guest room or the servants will see him."

'_He looks really sick…'_

Yoru slides next to Ikuto's head on the pillow, yawning slightly.

"Just sleep here. Besides, he needs the warmth."

Hotaru nods her head, knowing that what Yoru was speaking was the truth. Helping Ikuto slide out of his jacket and boots, placing them nicely by her desk, she slides back under the covers, her body as close to the edge as possible. Her heart was beating too fast for her comfort but their was nothing she could think of at the moment.

Turning her body to face him, she notices a sliver of moonlight peek through her curtains, the light illuminating Ikuto's face a bit. Reaching out a hand gingerly, she strokes his cheek before leaning forward and placing a kiss to his forehead.

"Good night Ikuto-kun."

* * *

Sunlight was peering through Hotaru's curtains, the light causing her to open her eyes. It's after blinking a few times does Hotaru remember something.

…Ikuto was in her bed last night….

….his face was only a few inches from hers….

…and he was currently watching her.

"Aaaahhhh!"

Hotaru's body begins to instinctively pull backwards when a slight tug holds her in place. Looking down, she immediately realizes that Ikuto is holding her. Facing up once more, her face turns red.

"W-W-What are you doing Ikuto-kun?"

Ikuto only smirks, his eyes half-lidded. The action stops Hotaru's breathing.

"Watching you sleep."

Hotaru freezes, before her whole body turns red. She doesn't respond, Ikuto taking advantage of the moment to pull her closer, her face now in his chest, Ikuto's chin resting on the top of her head. Hotaru's eyes widen.

"Ikuto…"

"Hm?"

Hotaru reaches a hand up to his forehead before pulling it back quickly. She lifts her head up to meet his gaze, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You have a fever…"

Ikuto shrugs. Hotaru's eyes lower, remembering Yoru's words of him having no place to stay. Slowly wrapping her arms around Ikuto's waist, she hides her red face in his shirt.

"Well…since you're not…feeling well, you're free to stay here….You know, since…you have no place to go."

Ikuto doesn't seem to say anything, when her eyes widen a bit.

"Oh! I just remembered something."

She sits up, Ikuto's amethyst eyes watching her. She turns to him, her voice a bit low.

"I'm supposed to hang out with Amu today. Her and Ami are building a snowman and she wanted to know if I could hang out afterwards."

After a few minutes of silence, she throws a smile on, her eyes seeming to light up.

"But you're free to stay here. I doubt Onii-chan will be coming home today, especially with the school quiet, so you're free to anything in the fridge, I-"

She stops, having been cut off by Ikuto sitting up and pulling her into his arms once more.

"How about…I just go with you?"

Hotaru blinks in surprise, her cheeks a bit red. She doesn't notice the stern look in Ikuto's eyes, his grip on her somewhat possessive.

'_Don't think we'll hesitate in getting a hold of Hotaru again…'_

Ikuto couldn't seem to throw those thoughts out of his head. With him having taking the violin, he knew that he couldn't leave her out of his sight. He was grateful for Yoru taking him here of all places.

"O…okay. I'm sure Amu won't mind…but, are you up for it? You're not feeling well, remember?"

Ikuto throws a smirk in her direction, pulling Hotaru's face close to his.

"It's okay, being near you has made me feel much better."

Hotaru's eyes widen before freaking out, her body about to fall off of the bed when Ikuto catches her, a few chuckles escaping his mouth. Hotaru frowns.

"Not funny…."

* * *

Hotaru and Ikuto had just made it to the school grounds, Amu having texted that she was still there. They were waiting by the gate, Ikuto's hand encased around Hotaru's. She didn't understand why he had done so, but considering he was not feeling his best, didn't ponder about it.

"Hotaru-chan!"

Hotaru's head raises, her gaze meeting Amu as she reaches her, little Ami right behind her.

"Hotaru-channn!"

Ami rushes forward, throwing her arms around Hotaru's legs. Hotaru giggles before lifting the little girl.

"Hey, Ami, what did you do today?"

Ami begins to tell Hotaru about the snowman she had been building, Ikuto watching with interest on how Hotaru handled her so well. Shaking his head of thoughts, he notices Amu watching him keenly. He raises an eyebrow at her. Amu steps forward, keeping her voice a bit low.

"So….why are you with Hotaru?"

Ikuto shrugs.

"I guess I unconsciously go towards her when I'm not feeling well."

Amu frowns, knowing that he was evading the question. She had noticed something in the way Ikuto's eyes had been watching Hotaru. She had a feeling he was there for more than him just not feeling well. Hotaru, spotting the slight tension, throws a smile on and places Ami down.

"You guys ready to-"

"Kitty!"

Everyone turns their heads to Ami as she rushes to Ikuto, her eyes having finally landed on the blue-haired teen. Amu sweat drops as Hotaru giggles a bit. Ikuto is a bit thrown back, a bit unsure of what to do before he kneels before the little girl, a smile on his face.

"Ah, you found me."

Ami nods her head happily, her hand coming up to pat Ikuto's head a bit. Ikuto chuckles before rubbing Ami's head in return. Hotaru, a soft smile on her face, was now watching Ikuto. It was when he glanced at her that she turns her head away in embarrassment.

"Yes, well, let's hurry back before we freeze to death."

Amu begins to hold her hand out to Ami, but the young girl shakes her head. Instead, she surprises everyone by grabbing a hold of Hotaru's hand. Hotaru smiles warmly, knowing that it had been awhile since she had seen Ami despite the recent visits she had made.

"Mm!"

Hotaru's eyes widen a bit when she notices Ami's free hand reaching for Ikuto's, whose currently were in his pocket. Ikuto, noticing this, frees his hand and holds it out to the young girl, Ami takes it happily before beginning to tug on the two a bit.

"Alright, let's go!"

Hotaru glances at Ikuto as they begin to walk side-by-side, Ami between them, swinging their hands happily.

'_This makes it seem like we're…'_

'_We probably look like…'_

Ikuto and Hotaru glance at each other, a slight blush on both of their faces as they look away.

'…_parents.'_

Amu is mentally laughing at the cute scene, her eyes noticing that neither of them seemed to mind the image they were giving off.

* * *

Hotaru and Ikuto were currently sitting on Amu's bed, Hotaru's face a deep red.

"That…was a bit embarrassing."

Ikuto only chuckles.

**(Flashback)**

They had finally reached Amu's house, Hotaru a bit hesitant on entering. She knew that they were going to question on who Ikuto was and she was a bit nervous on that part. She knew that he was her boyfriend at school, but in public..?

"I'm home!"

Hotaru is thrown out of her reverie by Amu's voice, the girl having opened the front door. Following right behind her, Ami's hand still in her own, she steps inside as well. Amu's parents light up at seeing Hotaru, their eyes taking note of Ami holding her hand.

"Oh, Hotaru-chan! Just as cute as ever I see."

Hotaru giggles, knowing that Amu's dad always said that to her and his daughters. He was one devoted photographer when it came to his daughters. Amu's mother smiles at her warmly.

"Here for a visit, Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru nods her head, her free hand removing the hat on her hair, her hair in a low loose ponytail. Amu's mother begins to speak once more when she notices Ami's other hand is holding someone else. Her eyes follow the arm to Ikuto's face, her cheeks tingeing a bit before her smile turns sly.

"Hotaru, who is this handsome young boy?"

"O-Oh, this is Ikuto Tsukiyomi, he's a-a-"

Ikuto, placing his most gentle smile, bows his head a bit.

"I am her boyfriend."

Hotaru can't fight the blush on her cheeks as Amu's parents turn to her, Amu's father seeming to cry a bit, Amu's mother seeming to light up at this bit of news.

"I hope you don't mind me coming over. I had wanted to hang out with Hotaru today but she had said she had other plans, so I kind of invited myself along."

Amu's mother shakes her head, her hand waving them off.

"Of course not. I can already tell that you're a good kid just by the way you're handling Ami, please, make yourself at home."

Ikuto bows his head once more.

"Thank you ma'am."

"Wait a second!"

Ikuto and Hotaru both turn to Amu's father, his camera currently in his hands. He was at present aiming it at the two of them, Ami now swinging happily from their hands. After hearing the click, he smiles happily, obviously now pleased with the man in the home.

**(End Flashback)**

Hotaru hides her head in her hands, desperate to hide her blushing face.

"Oh god! I can't believe he took a picture of us like that!"

"At least you remembered to smile."

Hotaru peeks through her hands at Ikuto, a smile taking over her face.

'_It was because I had been looking at you…'_

She sighs, her hands beginning to unwrap the bag next to her. She holds one out to Ikuto.

"Here…They're still hot."

Ikuto nods his head, taking the fish-shaped pastry from her. Reaching into the bag, she pulls out another for Yoru, her Chara, and herself. She blows on it a bit before taking a bite from the tail. She hears chuckles next to her.

"What's so funny?"

Ikuto only holds up his taiyaki as well, a part of the tail missing. Hotaru realizes what he's trying to point out and can't help but laugh a bit as well. Most people ate taiyaki from the head down, some even starting with the stomach that held the contents but very few actually started with the tail.

"Sorry you guys, my parents were just talking to me and swooning about Ikuto."

Hotaru lowers her head once more as Amu giggles.

"W-What'd they say?"

"That they like him and that they're proud of you for finding such a nice young man."

Amu can swear that she could see steam emitting from Hotaru's head. Walking around the two to sit in her desk chair, she watches them. She can't help but perceive the two glancing at each other every once in awhile. She knew that Hotaru had feelings for Ikuto, but Ikuto…she wasn't sure.

"So, Ikuto, why are you really here with Hotaru?"

Both look up from their taiyaki, a bit thrown off from her question. Hotaru sighs before glancing at Ikuto. He nods his approval before grabbing another taiyaki.

"Well, you see…Ikuto really isn't feeling well…and Easter is after him. His father has them swarming his house and his friend's and last night he almost fell asleep in the snow. Yoru barely managed to take him to my house."

Amu nods her head, glad to have a grasp on the situation somewhat. Ikuto turns to Hotaru.

"By the way, you should lock your window. It's dangerous."

Hotaru frowns at him.

"You're the cat-eared pervert who snuck into my room."

"You say "pervert" but do you even know what that truly means?"

"Of course I do! I write remember, I know exactly what it means, and let's be honest, most would think so if they knew that you sneaked into my room at night."

"Really? So you know what a real pervert is like?"

Hotaru's eyebrow raises in question.

"What? A real one?"

"Yeah."

Ikuto leans toward Hotaru, his hand covering his mouth as he whispers into her ear.

"A real pervert is someone like you who smiles the whole time while watching me sleep."

Amu raises an eyebrow in confusion, having caught his words despite the hand meant to cover it. Kia and Lily only giggle.

"Hotaru…"

Hotaru's face turns red as she turns to them.

"I wasn't smiling! Why would I be smiling when you're not feeling well?"

"Oh, so you **were** watching."

Hotaru's face turns a deep red as she points an accusing finger at Ikuto.

"You should talk, you were watching me sleep this morning!"

Amu begins laughing at the two, both now looking over at her. Hotaru looks down, her face turning red once more. Ikuto reaches over, placing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Don't worry, you're my pervert."

"I'm not a pervert!"

Amu begins laughing more, her laughter causing Hotaru to join in as well. Ikuto lets out a few chuckles himself when Amu's father calls her downstairs. Amu stops, getting up.

"Hold on a second you guys."

Hotaru and Ikuto watch her leave, Hotaru having grabbed the last taiyaki. Hotaru takes a bite of it when Ikuto suddenly leans toward her, licking a piece of chocolate on the side of her lips.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Mm, chocolate."

Hotaru turns away, pressing the taiyaki further into her face. Hotaru barely stuffs the last piece into her mouth when hurried footsteps cause them to turn to the door. Amu rushes into her room, her hands easily grabbing a hold of both of them and pushing them towards the closet.

"What is Amu-chan?"

"I need you two to hide for a bit!"

"Wait, why-?"

Hotaru is cut off as the door is closed in front of her face. She can't help but notice the lack of space as she notices Ikuto's arms around her, his chin on her head.

"What are you doing?"

"It's cramped in here."

Hotaru can't argue with that. It's when she hears Amu's voice once more that she places a finger to her lips to show that they should be quiet.

"Come in, Tadase-kun. It's a little messy."

Hotaru blinks in surprise, now understanding why she had stuffed them in the closet. Tadase didn't like Ikuto…and for her, well, she probably wanted alone time with him. She hears footsteps when she hears Tadase's voice.

"What a cute room. It really suits you."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. Sorry for visiting you out of the blue."

Amu shakes her head, her cheeks tingeing pink as she looks at Tadase. This was something she had dreamed of for so long in her life. Her eyes glance at the closet.

'_Though I can't enjoy it as much as I want to. Sorry Hotaru-chan.'_

"Hinamori-san, why did your mom put 4 cups on the tray?"

Amu and Hotaru both tense up, Amu quick to respond.

"O-Oh, maybe just in case more people come I guess."

Tadase nods his head in understanding, seeming to notice Amu's nervousness.

"Is something wrong?"

Amu shakes her head hurriedly, her cheeks still red.

"No, it's nothing! So…what's up?"

Tadase looks away a bit, his eyes on the cup of tea in his hands.

"Um, well since I've got a chance. I'll tell you. It's about the second thing I wanted to tell you the night before we fought Utau-chan…"

He glances over at her, his body turned to her somewhat.

"…do you remember?"

"Oh, that time?"

Hotaru's mind is running a mile a minute.

'_Wait…so Tadase-kun talked to Amu the night before? About what I wonder…Where is this going?'_

Ikuto, noticing Hotaru's frantic state, tightens his hold on her, placing a soundless kiss to the top of her head. Hotaru sighs inwardly, her body relaxing against his, their ears still listening to the conversation.

"I couldn't tell you that night, but…"

Amu is waiting patiently, as well as the two stowaways in the closet.

"I don't know if I can say this right…but can you hear me out?"

Amu nods her head.

"I got the courage for this after hearing Kairi confess his love to Hotaru-chan at the train station…"

Hotaru tenses up as she looks up at Ikuto, his eyebrow raised in question. She shrugs, giving an _'I don't know'_.

"I had once told you that I was in love with Amulet Heart, remember?"

Hotaru inwardly sighs, she remembered Amu telling her about that.

"Amulet heart was so striking at the time…I was blind and couldn't really see the line between her and you as a normal girl."

Tadase lowers his head, his eyes closing in thought.

"I didn't realize something so obvious…but as I spent more time with you, I slowly came to understand that Amulet Heart is a part of you."

Amu's eyes widen, her mind now wishing for him to hurry. Her heart is beating quickly as she listens intently.

"When you first told me that you liked me, I rejected you in front of everyone. Yet, I later told you that I fell in love with a different part of you."

Hotaru frowns. Amu hadn't told her that bit of information.

"I hurt you more. So…I'm sorry."

Amu begins waving her hands, shrugging off his apology.

"Oh! That was a long time ago! I don't care!"

"It's different now…"

Amu stops mid-movement, her ears having barely caught Tadase's words.

"I want to view you the same way no matter how different your appearance may be."

Tadase stops, his cheeks now turning red as he turns to Amu, his posture polite.

"Right now I am not strong like when I Character Change, but I want to say it. Please let me say it. I may be unworthy, but…"

Amu can't breathe.

"…Can I be in love with you?"

Hotaru and Ikuto both freeze in the closet, Hotaru's face red at Tadase's confession.

'_Tadase is in love with Amu?'_

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note: Another chapter fresh off of the presses...kind of. lol Hope you enjoyed. On a side note, the way this turned out was better than expected. In a few more chapters you'll see an awesome thing I did and it was by total accident! lol**_  
_


	28. Squirm and I'll Hold You Tight

**Author's Note: So begins another chapter. It's technically Friday, so I decided to post this while I can since I'm going to be laptop less all weekend at A-Kon. Yay~! Also, thanks to those who have submitted their chapters so far, I'm enjoying each one of them. ^-^**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: 13Lulu's for your review of point of mistake. FYI I'm actually following the book on several parts and that was one of them, but thank you for the info. I'll keep that in mind for future stories. ^-^**

_Summary: Like most popular boys, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 28: Squirm and I'll Hold You Tight  
**

Amu and Tadase were both currently sitting on their knees, their faces a deep crimson. Tadase, noticing his forward words, looks down first.

"Oh…I'm sorry, I…"

"Oh, it's okay…"

Amu waves off his apology, not really thinking it was necessary.

"I know my timing is a little off…you don't have feelings for me, right?"

"No, it's not that. I was just surprised, so…I've always liked you. Even after that incident…so I'm really happy."

Hotaru was inwardly cheering Amu on, a huge smile on her face.

'_Go Amu-chan!'_

"Really?"

"Um…yeah."

Tadase reaches over, his hand grasping Amu's gently.

"Thank you…I'm really happy. Thank you for listening."

* * *

Hotaru was currently sitting on her bed, her mind wandering back to the event that just took place. Amu had been somewhat in a daze as they left. She was not suitable for talking. Hotaru was clad in a tank top and pajama pants, the design one of a cute cartoon cat, the saying "I have claws." plastered everywhere.

"Wow…Tadase-kun…"

"Can I be in love with you?"

Hotaru turns her head, her mind not having registered that Ikuto had gotten back already. He had been acting strange earlier.

(Flashback)

Having just come back from Amu's, Hotaru turns to Ikuto.

"I'm going to make us something to eat real quick, do you mind going upstairs for a bit? I'll be up there soon."

Ikuto opens his mouth to protest, but she shoves a hand into his face.

"You're sick, so go lay down."

"Hn."

Hotaru can only smile as she watches Ikuto head upstairs, seeming to sulk a bit. She had been quick in putting together two bowls of soup. She had reached upstairs only to find Ikuto unconscious on the ground. Her eyes widen.

"Ikuto!"

(End Flashback)

It had been about a few minutes since then. He had gone to the bathroom right afterwards, now just coming back. She was relieved to find him looking well. Reaching over slowly, she places a hand on his cheek.

"Are you alright? Why were you passed out on the floor?"

"The violin…"

His voice was whispered, but she managed to pick up his words.

"The violin? What's wrong with the violin?"

"Oh, nothing."

Hotaru frowns, feeling like he was keeping a secret from her, but decides not to press on it. She reaches over to her desk and holds out the bowl of soup, a slight blush to her face.

"Here. Eat this."

Ikuto takes it quietly, taking a small sip of it before beginning to eat fully. Hotaru had finished hers while he was in the bathroom, her mind having been preoccupied.

"So, Tadase and Amu?"

Hotaru's eyes widen, realizing he was bringing up the subject from earlier. A small blush takes to her face.

"Yes, so it would seem. I'm pretty sure Amu-chan is happy about this. She's had a crush on Tadase for awhile."

"Ah."

Hotaru places her head on her knees, her arms hugging her legs close.

"I can't believe we eavesdropped like that."

"It's not like it could be helped. We were right there."

Hotaru pouts, realizing that what he was saying was true.

"So…"

Hotaru returns her attention to Ikuto, the bowl in his hands empty. His eyes side glance at her.

"Kairi confessed to you?"

Hotaru's face turns a deep red, hiding her face in her legs.

"Can we not talk about that? That's so embarrassing…I had no idea!"

Ikuto only chuckles as he places the bowl on her desk next to her empty one. Easily sliding under the covers, he begins to wrap his arms around her. Hotaru raises her head, her cheeks turning dark.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?"

"Going to sleep…"

Hotaru frowns, realizing she still hasn't found a solution to Ikuto being here. She stands up, Ikuto watching her closely.

"Stay here…I'll go sleep in a guest room."

Hotaru walks off to another room down the vast hallway, her mind now remembering how immense her house is. She sighs as she opens a door, the room a bit extravagant. Her room was only simple due to her request, her parent's room and the guests' rooms were…well, not so much. Hotaru eyes the canopy bed with a bit of distaste before walking over and slipping under the covers. The room was slightly smaller than her own, but it didn't bother her.

The only thing that did was the fact that this room didn't have a balcony like hers. It was the one reason why she had requested it once she got old enough. She sighs as she fades off into unconsciousness.

* * *

'_What is….why is the bed moving?'_

Hotaru's tired eyes blink open, her mind taking quick note that it was still night time. It's when she spots dark-blue hair that her eyes widen, her body tensing up.

"Aaaaaggghhhh! W-What are you doing here?"

"This bed is so much warmer."

"Not the point! Do you know what would happen if someone caught us like this?"

"You're making me want to stay more."

Hotaru stops, realizing that there was a bit of truth to his words.

"I'm sick."

Hotaru flinches, his words striking a chord. She knew he was right.

"You kept me warm last night. Do it again."

"Last night I had no choice! I couldn't risk the servants seeing you! Ah!"

Hotaru begins squirming in Ikuto's grasp, goosebumps running up her arms.

"Hey! Your feet are cold!"

"See? I'm going to freeze to death."

Hotaru stops after awhile, only when coming to terms with the fact that the more she squirmed the tighter his hold got.

'_He won't let go…Not that I mind…but my heart is beating so fast.'_

"Aah, you're so warm. I won't do anything weird. I'll leave as soon as I warm up."

Hotaru sighs, realizing that she didn't truly mind him holding her like this.

"It's fine."

"Kids have a higher body temperature. You're like a human heating pad."

Hotaru frowns.

"Kid? I'm only 2 years younger than you. I become a sophomore in the spring."

"Oh yeah? But you're still younger."

"You didn't know what grade I was in and you asked me to pretend to be your girlfriend. Some nerve…"

"I'm seventeen. I'm going to be a senior in the spring."

Hotaru's eyebrows lower at this.

"I already knew that, but…"

'_There are actually a lot of things that I don't know about Ikuto…'_

"Um, that violin…"

"Huh?"

Hotaru turns her head to Ikuto's, his face closer to her own.

"Is it something important?"

"Oh not really. Just a keepsake of my father."

Hotaru's eyes widen, surprised at his blatant answer.

"What? That's really important!"

"Not really. I don't even remember his face. My step-father is annoying but at least he's a stranger."

Ikuto turns onto his back, his arms releasing Hotaru. She props herself onto her elbow, her emerald eyes watching him attentively.

"Blood relations are just a burden to me…because of what my real father did, I'm tied down to Easter."

Hotaru's heart clenches a bit, now feeling guilty about having been angry with him about Easter.

'_He says it's not important and yet here he is with it…What does his father mean to him?'_

"And the key? Is that also a keepsake?"

"Yeah."

Hotaru giggles a bit, laying her head back down on the pillow as she does so.

"You're like a rebellious child."

She notices Ikuto raise an eyebrow at her as he props himself up.

"You point out the fact that I'm younger and yet you're like a kid yourself."

Ikuto only watches her for a few seconds before wrapping his arms around her waist, his head resting on her chest. Hotaru's face becomes a deep red at the contact.

"Whoa! What are you doing?"

"I'm attaching myself to you because I'm a kid. Spoil me."

Hotaru's eyebrows lower in embarrassment, his head nuzzling her chest.

"You're not cute at all! Let go!"

"I'm against violence."

Hotaru sighs.

'_So am I…'_

"So, Kairi is in love with you?"

Hotaru blushes once more.

'_Not this again!'_

"That's none of your business!"

Hotaru calms down somewhat, her stomach getting an empty feeling as the question leaves her mouth.

"Don't you have someone you like too?"

"I do."

Hotaru feels her heart drop, her arms wrapping themselves around Ikuto.

"Oh…"

Ikuto's grip tightens on her.

"A young girl…."

Hotaru stops breathing.

"…with a cute smile…and a beautiful voice."

Hotaru looks away, her cheeks red.

"Doesn't really narrow it down. What's her name?"

"I don't know…"

Hotaru's attention returns to him, flashes of when they first met rushing in her mind.

'_Is he…is he talking about that time?'_

"O-oh…she's one lucky girl then."

Ikuto's head glances up at Hotaru's, his eyes quickly noticing her teary eyes. He moves up, his head now leveled with hers.

"Something wrong?"

Hotaru shakes her head. Ikuto lightly places his hands on either side of her face, making her look him in the eye.

"You're a lucky girl too."

Hotaru blinks her eyes a bit, a frown on her lips despite the tears in her eyes.

"How so?"

"Because I'm falling for you too."

Hotaru can feel her heartbeat quicken before she sighs, quickly sitting up.

"Not funny. You know it's not nice to lie to people."

"Sheesh. You don't believe me?"

"How can I with the way you act?"

Hotaru shakes her head before getting out of bed and walking over to Ikuto's side. She smiles softly, her hand held out to him.

"C'mon, if you're going to insist on sleeping in the same bed, might as well sleep in mine."

Ikuto only smirks before slipping his hand into Hotaru's.

* * *

**Author's Note: I know...I know...A short chapter, but it was necessary. Besides, I like this cute little exchange. I'll have the next one out next week...hopefully what with being jury summoned and all. *sighs***

**On a side note, as you've noticed, I didn't title this chapter. Why? Because I for some reason cannot seem to think of one that'll stick. So, this is where I turn to you guys. I was kind of hoping if you could throw a few suggestions out there. Whoever's I pick will obviously become the chapter title and recognition in the next chapter as well. ^-^ Submit before next Friday.  
**


	29. The Idol's Idol

**Author's Note: Um...*hesitantly walks out*...I'm really...REALLY sorry. I've been caught up with so many things and truth be told, I got stuck...writer's block is evil. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Extra long so...yeah. he he ^^;**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: Witchgirl590 for reminding me that I haven't posted. I love their dedication! Thank you~!**

**Also, winner of the title change goes to-*drum rolls* KidTantei! Congrats! Next chapter goes out to you~! Hope you enjoy it when I finish it...which is actually being worked on. I promise! .**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 29: The Idol's Idol**

Bang, bang, bang!

"Hm….?"

Hotaru's eyes blink open wearily, her mind trying to register the noise.

'_Who is…?'_

Hotaru begins to sit up only for a force to stop her. Hotaru looks behind her, a sleeping Ikuto holding on to her tightly. She smiles warmly, a blush taking to her cheeks. Gently removing his arms, she rushes downstairs.

Bang, bang, bang!

"Coming!"

Hotaru, still clad in her pajamas, answers the door, her free hand rubbing her eyes.

"Hello-?"

Hotaru's eyes widen, fear starting to settle in her nerves.

"U-Utau!"

Before the baffled, half-asleep Hotaru is none other than Utau Hoshina. Said girl has her hands on her hips, a frown on her lips. Hotaru begins to feel her legs give out a bit.

"W-What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Ikuto."

Hotaru freezes, invisible sweat running down her face.

'_Does…Does she know that he's staying here?'_

Utau's gaze turns dark.

"I wonder where Ikuto is…I wonder if he's hiding here."

Hotaru mentally screams.

"Just kidding."

Hotaru slides to the floor, Utau's gaze having scared her.

"I have to stop my habit of imagining the worst-case scenario when it comes to Ikuto."

Hotaru tilts her head at noticing Utau's shy aura. She rises to her feet.

"I was wondering if you could come out a bit."

Hotaru blinks confusedly before letting a smile cross her face.

"I can. Just give me a bit of time to get ready. I overslept today."

Utau nods her head, her arms crossing across her chest.

"Hurry up then."

Hotaru nods her head before rushing back upstairs. She closes her door behind her, locking it swiftly before rushing through her clothing. It's as she finds an outfit that she cautiously turns to Ikuto. After confirming that he's still asleep, she changes clothes. Now donning a turtle neck sweater, a black pleated skirt that reaches her knees, and leggings, she smiles in approval. She begins to walk out of her room but stops.

Glancing over at Ikuto, she sighs. Quickly scribbling a note explaining her absence, she places a quick kiss to his forehead and rushes out.

* * *

Hotaru could feel a sweat drop fall down the side of her head.

"A ramen shop?"

"Yes, is that a problem?"

Hotaru shakes her head. She begins looking around in awe.

'_I've never been in one before.'_

Following Utau to a machine that produced tickets, she continues the same action and follows Utau's example. Sitting in the stool next to the pop idol, she watches as Utau gives an order.

"Salt with hard noodles, extra oil with ajitama as topping."

The man behind the counter smiles enthusiastically.

"Okay! And for you young lady?"

Hotaru tenses in her seat before mumbling her response.

"The same…"

The man nods his head before walking off, to make their order Hotaru assumed. Utau, noticing Hotaru's 'awed' look, frowns.

"You act as if you've never seen a ramen shop before."

Hotaru turns to her, a guilty blush on her cheeks before looking down. Utau's eyes widen before she lets the subject drop. It's when Hotaru's ears pick up whispers that she turns to Utau.

"Shouldn't you disguise yourself or something?"

"Why? I'm not doing anything wrong."

Hotaru couldn't argue with that.

"Anyway, about Ikuto. I've been looking for him but I can't find him. There are some suspicious guys watching the house so he hasn't gone there."

Hotaru remembers Yoru's words of how Ikuto had nowhere else to go. A bowl is placed in front of her.

"Salt with hard noodles."

"Those suspicious looking guys, do you have an idea who they are?"

Not having received an answer, she turns to Utau.

"Utau?"

Who is currently engrossed in eating her ramen. Utau, noticing she's staring, turns to her.

"It's going to get cold."

"Oh, right."

Hotaru breaks her chopsticks apart, eagerly eating the noodles. She sighs in delight.

'_These are so good.'_

Hotaru finishes up, placing her chopsticks down just as Utau does. Both turn to each other in surprise.

"You're done already as well?"

Hotaru blushes.

"Well, when I eat something good, I tend to get preoccupied and eat pretty fast."

Utau nods her head as she turns to the man once more.

"More noodles, hard. Two please."

Hotaru was a bit shocked but had to admit that she was still hungry as well. Hotaru turns to Utau.

"I must admit that I haven't met someone that's my size and eats as much as I do in a long time."

"So? I'm going to eat as much as I want. If I don't eat, I don't get energy and I can't sing."

Hotaru had to admit that she admired Utau's determination.

"Sing…Oh! I heard your new song!"

"It was only on the radio."

"But you're going to be on music shows soon, right?"

Utau frowns.

"Probably not. Every since I switched agencies, Easter has been interfering with my work. For awhile I had to go around to local music stores and department stores."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault. Besides…"

Their new order is placed in front of them.

"Songs have power. No interference can stop that. No matter where I am, if I can sing, that's my stage."

Both girls' Chara are watching the two in awe, a smile on their faces. Hotaru looks down at the egg hanging around her neck.

"Wow Utau…"

Hotaru has a bright smile on her face. Utau flinches a bit at the sight.

"What? You're creeping me out."

Hotaru shakes her head, her smile still intact as she grabs a few noodles with her chopsticks.

"It's just…I admire you. You have the determination to make your dream come true. You've found your song…"

Hotaru turns back to Utau only to notice the pop idol with a small tint on her cheeks. Utau turns away, quick to begin eating her ramen. Hotaru just giggles.

* * *

Yoru stretches, his small paw rubbing his eyes sleepily. He turns his attention to Ikuto who is still sleeping heavily. His tail begins moving as he spots the note next to them.

_-Ikuto & Yoru-_

_-Sorry, I had to go somewhere real quick. I'll be back as soon as I can. You're free to anything in the fridge.-_

_-Sincerely,_

_Hotaru, Kia, & Lily-_

After reading the note, Yoru eyes the violin, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"Something's fishy about that violin…"

He floats over to it, his small paws opening the case.

"It wasn't this weird color purple before…Yesterday Ikuto fainted after looking at it. What's going on?"

* * *

A fists pounds heavily on a desk.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry sir. We looked at his sister's place and his friends' places…."

The man scoffs, his head turning away as he crosses his hands together.

"I don't care that Ikuto is gone. That always happens. The problem is the violin! It's still in development. If it doesn't turn up, our investment will be wasted."

One of the men before him raises an eyebrow, a empty feeling seeming to take place.

"What do you mean, sir?"

"That violin has X egg energy in it. Those with no power can play it and have no effect, but it's different when Ikuto plays it. Ikuto is the son of the legendary violinist, Aruto Tsukiyomi."

The man smiles sinisterly.

"His performance would attract many X eggs and bait the Embryo. That was the plan, but I guess I have no choice now."

He swivels his chair around, his back now to the men.

"It's a little earlier than planned, but it's time to use it."

"It sir?"

He turns his head to them, his evil intentions apparent.

"As long as I use it, Ikuto can't resist the magical powers of the violin."

* * *

"Aruto Tsukiyomi?"

Hotaru was a bit in shock on how familiar the name sounded to her. Her parents tended to play his work. They were music connoisseurs and Aruto was one of their favorites. Utau turns to her.

"You've heard of him?"

Hotaru nods her head, her braid swaying behind her.

"Yes. My parents are actually big fans of his work. I've always heard his music since I was a kid…"

A small blush appears on Hotaru's cheeks.

'_Especially after meeting Ikuto…'_

"Well he is our real father. Our mother is Soko Hoshina. She is the only daughter of the Hoshina family, the clan who founded Easter."

"Easter?"

Utau only nods her head, her eyes closing as she recalls the story told to her.

"He was a man with talent but still young with no status or fame. Of course the family was against it when their only daughter wanted to marry him….but the two got married against their wishes…with one condition."

Hotaru's head perks up at this, her curiosity rising.

"Condition?"

"A simple one. They said, _"When the time comes, give up music and take over Easter."_"

Hotaru's eyes widen at this.

"But my father couldn't do it. He disappeared the night my grandfather, the former CEO of Easter, died. He took only his violin. My mother, Ikuto and I were treated coldly."

Hotaru could only imagine the pain their mother went through, her eyes widening with shock. This was a lot for her to take in, her mind running images of Ikuto and Utau young, scared, and sad.

"But still my mother believed in and waited for my father. We were chased from place to place…but I was okay as long as my mother and Ikuto were with me…but a few years later…my father's violin, and just the violin, was found overseas."

Hotaru's mind went back to last night.

"_Is it something important?"_

"_Oh not really. Just a keepsake of my father."_

Hotaru mentally shakes her head.

_'It's just like I thought…it is important.'_

"That was the last straw for my mother's weak heart. She betrayed us . She remarried the executive director of Easter. My mother is weak. She's been under the control of my stepfather ever since."

Hotaru nods her head.

"They make us work to pay for our father's sin."

Hotaru sighs, worry overcoming her.

"That isn't right what they're doing. You two had nothing to do with it and yet you've been roped in. Easter is…"

Her fists clench from anger, most of it rooting from the fact that they were being treated this way.

"…so cruel."

Utau is quiet for a bit before turning her amethyst eyes to the sky, a nice breeze blowing through.

"That's why I wanted power. Enough power so they wouldn't be able to crush us. I wanted to save Ikuto from this destiny."

Things were slowly starting to fall into place in Hotaru's mind, and she couldn't help but understand what Utau was feeling.

"But I found out that I wasn't as strong as I thought…If I can't save myself, I can't save someone else. I've realized that."

Utau turns her gaze to Hotaru, said girl leaning back a bit in surprise.

"You made me realize that."

Hotaru's eyes widen, awe filling her.

"How did I…?"

Utau turns away, a small blush filling her cheeks. She was not used to expressing her feelings, nor used to admitting that she was wrong.

"Look, just listen! I don't know what it is about you, but you have something special."

Hotaru blinks in confusion.

"Special?"

"Yes, obviously since Ikuto cares about you so much. He's never really cared what Easter has been doing, just listening and never really back talking. He didn't like it, but he didn't stop them besides going after the Embryo for his own sake…but lately…"

Hotaru is so eager to hear her words.

"…especially recently, he seems to have something driving him forward. He's become more determined than usual to defy Easter. This recent incident proof."

Shyly turning her eyes back to Hotaru, she mumbles her next words.

"…I think it might have something to do with you. You've obviously changed something in him. That's why…"

Utau once again looks away shyly, a pout on her lips.

"…if it's you…then I don't mind giving you the privilege of saving Ikuto."

Hotaru could feel her cheeks heat up, unsure as to the reason why, but she could feel her heart swell with emotion.

"Be grateful because the only person that can protect Ikuto is me."

Hotaru now pouts, the sentimental moment vanishing.

"You can't decide that on your own."

"Nikaidou-san?"

Utau and Hotaru turn around, a smile breaking out on Hotaru's face at the familiar face.

"Tadase-kun! Kukai!"

Hotaru hurriedly stands up, giving both of the boys a hug, a smile on her face.

"What brings you here?"

Tadase smiles, glad to see Nikaidou doing well.

"I just went to a movie with Souma-kun since this is our last chance."

Kukai begins to wrap his arm around Hotaru's neck, obviously teasing her when his eyes land on Utau.

"Oh, the idol is here too."

Utau turns to him, obviously none too pleased.

"Is there a problem with that?"

Hotaru laughs at the two before turning back to Tadase.

"So, what did you watch?"

* * *

Hotaru was currently walking to the store, her mind set on getting groceries to make food at home when suddenly Kia and Lily stop. Hotaru notices their halt and turns to them.

"Something wrong you two?"

Hotaru's ears suddenly pick up a sound, her mind registering the sound.

"Is that…?"

She looks around her only to notice several people walking around, their heart eggs obviously missing. Kia and Lily look around.

"Their eggs!"

"What was that noise?"

Hotaru lowers her head in worry, hoping that her fears were just that…fears….nothing more.

"That was the A chord of a violin."

Hotaru surveys the surrounding area, not spotting anyone nor sensing any X eggs. She turns to Lily and Kia, both watching her with worried expressions.

"There's nothing we can do now…Let's just go home."

Both nod their head, Hotaru walking ahead, the egg hanging around her neck bouncing against her chest.

* * *

Hotaru rushes upstairs, her hands hurriedly pushing the door open.

"Ikuto?"

Her eyes are quick to spot him lying down on her bed, a tired look in his eyes. Hotaru rushes over, her arms wrapping around Ikuto's form, relief instantly washing over her.

_'Good, he's here.'_

Ikuto is confused a bit by Hotaru's actions.

"Did I miss something?"

Hotaru shakes her head as she pulls back, a smile on her face.

"Ikuto, you didn't go out today, did you?"

Ikuto absently shakes his head, his mind a bit dazed still. He had just woken up. Hotaru sighs relief once more.

"Oh, okay good. Well, um…here. You should eat these and I went through my father's clothing and picked out some clothes I doubt he'll miss, so…"

Ikuto eyes the items for a bit before wrapping his arms around Hotaru, a blush instantly taking to her cheeks at the proximity.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me."

Hotaru's whole face turns red as she pulls back, as if his touch burned her.

"What? I just gave you food and clothing!"

Ikuto smirks while leaning closer, Hotaru backing away as he does so.

"Yes…obviously the food is to soften me up so I won't notice how when I change, you plan on watching."

Hotaru frowns, pushing Ikuto back a bit, her head low so he can't see her expression.

"You're overreacting!"

Ikuto only chuckles as he takes a bite of one of the rice balls she made. Hotaru lies down, exhausted by Ikuto's antics.

_'There's no way it was him…'_

_

* * *

_

"Everything is ready sir."

The director is leaning against a wall, his arms crossed over his chest confidently.

"Good. Then let's begin!"

The director smirks.

"This machine has the sound of the violin and if I set off this tuning fork, the waves will reach that violin and increase it's power. It had a small effect earlier today from the test run. With this, Ikuto will have to obey us."

As he speaks, the tuning fork before him begins to emit a sound.

* * *

Hotaru is sleeping peacefully, her mind caught in dreams. She doesn't even feel Ikuto leave her room, his eyes opening with no emotion in them.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, I hope you guys enjoyed that. Hopefully some of you guys are still reading this. T-T I really am sorry and will work harder. On a side note, I've posted my deviantart account on my profile page. There you'll find a folder of current Hotaru art. I've also made a small little club so that way if anyone else wants to draw and post, you're free to.**

**Truthfully I just want to see everyone's art. I love drawing Hotaru, but I would love to see some variety in the styles.**

**Well, till next time. Bye! ^-^  
**


	30. Written Desires

**Author's Note: So, um, yeah...? *crickets* Um...for those of you still there, I am so SOOOOO sorry. I've been busy with work, (ugh)jury duty, and art requests. I've discovered the amazingness of using PS so I've been doing requests left and right. Which reminds me...**

**I am currently working on a request project.**

**She has requested a wedding Hotaru/Kairi pic(she liked the base and likes Kairi) Anywho, there's supposed to be a collage in the background using various pics of them together. Funny story...I have only made one pic. ^^;**

**So this is where you guys come in. I'm wanting everyone, whether you like Kairi or not, to tell me your favorite scenes between Hotaru and Kairi thus far. (There might be more. ;) ) Anyways, I hope that you guys send me ideas and when I'm done with the pic, I plan on showing you the finished result. Each one will be it's own individual portrait before being added to the final one.**

**Dedication: Muffin Minded. Your heartfelt review...You understand me T-T Hugs all around~!**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: __Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 30: Written Desires**_  
_

Hotaru moans a bit as her hand reaches out to disable her alarm. It's when she hit's the snooze button does she feel a bit…

…good.

Opening her eyes slightly, they widen to considerable lengths as she notices Ikuto….kissing her neck.

Cheeks tinted red, she pushes him, only managing in pushing herself off of the bed. Luckily for her, Ikuto is quick to react, pulling her close. She frowns.

"What do you think you were doing?"

"Marking you."

She feels a vein snap only for her anger to fade as she spots a wound on Ikuto's arm. A small gasp escapes her lips as she gently grabs the skin around it.

"Ikuto! What happened?"

Ikuto glances down, following her line of sight before shrugging.

"I don't know. I don't remember."

Hotaru sighs, glancing up at his face uneasily.

"Well…you should be more careful."

She sits up a bit, her mind already going over her to-do list for today. School started tomorrow, but today was a day for getting things fixed up around the house.

She was worried Onii-chan would come home and wonder what was up.

Ikuto notices Hotaru spacing out, his arms easily pulling her back down with him.

"Ah!"

"What's on your mind?"

Hotaru, cheeks aflame, turns to him a bit surprised by his question. It wasn't often he asked her what she was thinking. She sighs a bit, secretly enjoying his warmth.

"I'm thinking about picking up the house a bit."

Ikuto raises an eyebrow. He knew how her parents were wealthy and he had had to avoid several servants while she was away.

"I thought…"

Hotaru giggles a bit before looking up from Ikuto's hold.

"Yes, we do have butlers and maids, but since my parents are away so often, I never saw the point. They come here on occasion, but it's very rare. I believe they show up once every 1 or so. If they show up before then it's on their own free will. A few worry about my brother and I living alone."

Ikuto understood this a bit, honestly the idea of her being home alone irking him somewhat as well. Loosening his hold, he closes his eyes.

"I see."

Hotaru, noticing the okay, gets up from the bed, picking out an overall dress, a long sleeved shirt underneath before going to the bathroom to change, despite Ikuto's comments of having seen her in her underwear anyways.

Her response is a whack to the head.

* * *

Ikuto's eyes fluttered open to the sound of a voice, the sound soft and gentle. He was starting to wonder if it was Utau when he remembered that he wasn't home…

…and to him, the voice sound nostalgic.

Sitting up a bit, his eyes land on Hotaru's back, who was currently sitting at her desk. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, only part of it pulled back while the rest caressed her shoulder. He had to admit that sometimes, the lavender of her hair intrigued him.

He waited, wondering if she was going to start singing a song, but after a minute or so, realized she was only singing notes.

He was curious as to what she was doing, considering her fingers were speeding across the keyboard in front of her, her laptop screen too far away for him to see.

"Aaarrggghhh!"

He had to sweat drop at this, the sweet sound suddenly replaced with a groan of frustration. It seemed she didn't know he was awake yet.

And right he was.

Hotaru was working on another short story for her website online. She had started the next chapter when she was suddenly slammed with writer's block. Fingers adjusting her glasses, her eyes scan the screen, a pocky emitting from her mouth.

After cleaning the house, though there wasn't much to clean considering it was only her and Ikuto, the thought causing her cheeks to tinge pink, she had remembered that she had a deadline coming up.

She had been putting off the chapter and with the recent incident, hadn't had time to finish it. Finishing off the piece in her mouth, she erases a few sentences, rewriting them to her liking before smiling happily.

She was almost done, when…

"What are you giggling over here for? Watching porn on your laptop?"

Her body had jumped, the voice having been whispered into her ear. Turning around, her whole face red, she struggles to start a sentence, a frown on her lips.

"D-D-Don't do that!"

Ikuto only chuckles at her expression, his arms now trapping her as he rests his hands on the desk behind her, Hotaru caught in between.

"You didn't deny it."

Hotaru frowns at this, blush intact, as she looks down shyly.

"I-I wasn't watching porn. I'm w-working on my new chapter."

_'So close…'_

Hotaru didn't know why, but she had this overwhelming urge to kiss Ikuto when he was within her personal bubble. It was becoming harder each moment to not follow her urges and do so. They were only a fake girlfriend and boyfriend after all and there was no one around who needed convincing of their relationship.

Sighing mentally, Ikuto now peering over her head at her computer, she glances up at his lips.

"Ah…that's right. You do write."

Hotaru looks down, her hands clenching the ends of her dress tightly as she nods her head. Ikuto, noticing the lack of response from the girl beneath him, allows his eyes to roam over her figure.

He couldn't help himself from slowly eying her up, her frame petite, but it suited her. What he immediately noticed though, were her clenched hands and blushing face. Smirking slightly, he leans toward her, his face inches from hers.

"What are you thinking about?"

Hotaru looks up, a bit surprised that he was looking at her. She had thought that he had started reading her chapter. Shaking her head vigorously, she turns back around to her computer, pretending that she was concentrating on her story.

"N-nothing!"

Ikuto's smirk only widens as he leans his body over hers, his height surpassing hers for several reasons.

"Don't lie to me Ho-Ta-Ru."

Hotaru's eyes widened as he separated her name, her name sounding so nice when it involved his voice. Clenching her eyes shut, hoping to drown out his voice, she responds.

"I-I'm not."

Her eyes open as she feels Ikuto's hands over her own, his hands guiding her own back to the keyboard. Looking up at him questioningly, he nods his head to the computer. Realizing what he was trying to imply, she hit's the enter bar a few times, the blinking cursor now 5 lines down from her work.

Her fingers were shaking slightly, but after a bit of courage building she begins typing.

Ikuto leans forward, reading her response out loud.

"Don't get too close?"

He looks down at her, his smirk still in place. His body was actually inching closer as he spoke.

"How come?"

Hotaru's blush seemed to rise full force, her hands shaking even further. Her typing was slower this time, wanting to get the answer out, but unsure of his reaction. It's just as she finishs, does she hear a sound downstairs.

"Hotaru, I'm home~!"

Her eyes widen, her body already getting up from the chair.

"Oh, it's Onii-chan. I'll be back."

Hotaru dashes out of her room, gently closing the door behind her before stopping at the foot of the stairs. She smiles softly at her Onii-chan before rushing over and hugging him tightly.

"Onii-chan, you're home!"

She giggles lightly, happy to see her brother. He had been busy with work lately, she didn't know what to do. Pulling back, she notices the apologetic smile on her brother's face, his hand coming up to rest on her head.

"Yes, I am, but only for an hour or so. I have to prepare stuff for the new school term tomorrow and I was going to do it at my lab. I'm just here to pick up a few things…"

He lowers his head a bit, deterring any chance for Hotaru to frown.

"…and of course eat dinner with you."

Hotaru lights up at this, glad to at least see her brother for a little while. Happily nodding to herself, she begins to warm up what she made earlier, glad that she had made Ikuto a bowl earlier, having left it in her room.

* * *

It was after dinner, Hotaru waving her brother a goodbye, does she start heading upstairs. A smile on her face. Despite everything, she was always happy to see her older brother. She looked up to him in many ways.

Entering her room, closing her door behind her, she barely has time to react before she finds herself pressed against her door, her hands pinned above her head.

Her eyes widen in shock, unsure of what was going on, Ikuto's head lowered. His hair was hiding his expression, so she hadn't the faintest clue what was going on his head.

"I-Ikuto?"

She looks around, only to spot Yoru and her Chara asleep on her bed, the bowl of soup she made earlier empty on her desk. Her heart was racing quickly.

"Ikuto! Wh-what are you doing?"

Still not a response, but she begins to notice his body starting to press against hers, closing off any chance of escape. She could feel the blood rush to her cheeks as she felt his mouth close to her ear, his grip unwavering in the slightest.

She was afraid.

"I-Ikuto?"

A chuckle causes all of her fear to vanish, only to be replaced with a bit of anger. Eyebrows knitting with frustration, she begins to struggle a bit and yell.

"That was not funny Ikuto! What do you think you're doing?"

It's quiet, her ears only picking up her quick, fluttering heartbeat when she hears his voice, soft and whispered.

"You know if you want something, you just ask."

Hotaru is confused as to what he's saying, her face showing that confusion.

"What do you-?"

She's cut off as his lips press to hers, her mind in a state of shock.

**[Because I want to kiss you…]**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: There you have it. A perfect filler filled with HotaIku fluff. ^^ I had been pondering this for awhile(obviously) and decided to finally use it. It's been awhile since I've had a good little fluff chapter of Hotaru and Ikuto. I hope you enjoyed it and I plan on getting the next one out as soon as possible.**

**On a side note: Someone pointed out to me, that they think Kukai likes Hotaru...I honestly never thought of that, just taking Kukai's personality to be friendly. Has anyone else thought this? ^^; And if so, should I have a cute chapter between them for fun?**

**Review if you still love me T-T**


	31. The Key

**Author's Note: Um...please don't kill me.**

**Yes, I know, it's been quite a long time. For this, I am sorry. I've been so busy with work and I've started drawing regularly once more. For those of you who love Hotaruness, she has a page on deviantart. I'll post a link on my profile page. In the mean time, I am having a christmas contest for those of you interested. It can be pictures or stories, but yeah...**

**If you're a deviantart fan, I'm offering a premium membership, so...yeah...^^"**

**Anywho, once again, I apologize for the delay and am glad to be writing once more. It is my first love after all.**

**Rating: T**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara, Hotaru on the other hand is all mine~_

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 31: The Key**

An alarm goes off, a gentle hand easily reaching over and hitting the snooze button to halt the sound. Turning her head slowly to her right, she sighs inwardly. Next to her is the face of none other than Ikuto Tsukiyomi.

"Is it weird that I'm getting used to this?"

Smiling softly, she recalls yesterday, his lips upon hers when she had came back upstairs. They were both quiet the rest of the night as she finished her chapter and sent it to her publisher where as he read some of her manga issues.

She hadn't been sure of what to do really.

Her heart beat had accelerated considerably, her face red the whole time and all Ikuto had done afterwards was smirk and release her.

She didn't know what to make of it.

* * *

Sitting at the table, a bowl of cereal in front of her, she sighs again, outwardly this time, her mind occupied on other things. She was actually a bit curious as to whether or not she should go to school.

She knew that she had to obviously, due to it being the first day of the new semester, but she was unsure as to what to do.

"Yo."

Hotaru's head snaps up as she hears a voice, her eyes locking on Ikuto's face. She blinks in surprise, not having expected to see him up.

"G-good morning Ikuto…"

Ikuto continues to stare at her, her face turning red as she looks down at her bowl.

"…kun."

He smiles, obviously pleased with the nickname. He sits down in front of her, already dressed in his school uniform. She was going to question as to how he got it, but decided against it.

Did she really want to know?

Ikuto's eyes suddenly lock with hers, her face instantly turning red. She couldn't help it, ever since yesterday, looking at him made her heart rate increase ten-fold.

"I-I'm glad to s-see that you're g-going to school."

Ikuto only smirks as he takes a bite of her cereal.

"Yes, well, I knew that if I didn't, you'd be lonely."

Hotaru frowns at this, the frown instantly disappearing and forming into a smile as she stands up.

"Well, let's go then."

Hotaru stands up, about to put her bowl away when a small little melody goes off, signaling a text message. Pulling out her phone, she quickly glances at the screen, one of her eyebrows raising at the message.

It was from Amu.

**[I have a question I want to ask you in person. Can you come by after school for a bit?]**

Hotaru is quick to respond, her fingers easily pressing the keys before hitting send.

**[Sure.]**

* * *

Hotaru was sitting in the courtyard. It was lunchtime, her eyes on the tree branches swaying over her. She couldn't help but feel as if Ikuto was on edge. The way he seemed to glance about and every time she asked what was on his mind, he would tease her, instantly changing the topic.

She sighs a bit, her bento in her lap, Ikuto's right beside her. It's as she begins to eat does a small noise go off, a bell-like sound.

It was her phone.

Reaching around in her bag, Hotaru manages to locate her cell, easily flipping it open to see a notice.

**[1 New Message!]**

Clicking certain buttons, she opens the message, her eyes scrolling through the text.

**[Hey, was Ikuto at your house yesterday?**

**-Amu]**

Hotaru's eyebrow raises at this, easily sending a response.

**[Yes, all day. Why?**

**-Hotaru]**

After waiting a minute, her phone goes off once more. It's as she begins reading this message does her eyes widen in shock, her blood seeming to run cold. She spaces out, her eyes no longer on her phone or anything in particular.

"Smells good."

Hotaru jumps, instinctively clutching her phone to herself. Next to her was Ikuto, a curious look on his face, his eyes on her phone.

"Something wrong?"

Hotaru shakes her head, smiling and closing her phone instantly.

"Of course not. Just got a random text from Amu."

**[Tadase got into a fight last night…**

**He says that Ikuto is the one he faced…**

**He was stopping him from taking eggs from people.**

**-Amu]**

**

* * *

**

School had just ended and Hotaru had answers she needed from Amu, one being the events that Tadase had told Amu about.

She was really worried.

She was currently at her house, having gone home to change real quick, Ikuto, of course, having done so as well. She had handed Ikuto more of her father's old clothes, the clothes being a little big, but fitting him nicely still.

Hotaru had changed into a long spaghetti strap dress, a nice long-sleeved shirt underneath considering the cold weather. She was waiting for Ikuto, having already slipped on knee high socks as well.

"Hmm…I'm surprised it still hasn't' hatched yet."

Hotaru's head snaps up, Ikuto's face right next to hers as he peered over her shoulder. She follows his gaze to the egg hanging around her neck. She holds it up a bit, her finger tracing the small harp on it.

"I am a bit too….I wonder what it is…"

Hotaru was honestly curious about what lay inside, what lay waiting for her in the egg but she knew that when the time was right that it would show itself to her. Smiling softly as she allows the egg to rest on her breasts once more, she turns to Ikuto, a question in her eyes and on her lips.

"You ready?"

Ikuto nods his head, easily slipping next to her as they headed out of the house. Locking the door behind her, they begin heading toward Amu's house, a nice leisure pace, their breaths coming out in puffs before mingling with the air around them.

"Hotaru…"

Hotaru's head turns to Ikuto, having gotten a bit used to the silence. She waits patiently for an answer, Ikuto's eyes seeming to stare off. The feeling that was beginning to run through her blood was unnerving her. The way he seemed tense…the way he kept staring off up at the sky or nothing in particular was starting to form questions in her head.

He suddenly stops, Hotaru stopping a few steps afterwards. Turning to face him, she lets out a slow breath, another puff of hot air billowing out in front of her before dissipating.

"Ikuto…"

Ikuto's eyes land on her, as if having forgotten she was with him. His violet eyes note the expression on her face, the worry in her eyes.

"You've been acting strange lately….it scares me…I feel like…"

She looks down, her eyes turning to the sidewalk beneath their feet, struggling to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"….it feels like you're going to disappear on me."

Ikuto's eyes widen at this, now realizing the thoughts that were going on in the mind of the girl before him. Allowing the silence to mull over a bit, he smiles softly before reaching over, his hand grabbing the back of her head, easily pulling her to him.

Hand in his pocket, the other on Hotaru's head, he sighs a bit.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. There's just been quite a bit on my mind lately."

Hotaru sniffles a bit, lifting her head to lock gazes with him. She wanted to see his face, read his eyes even though it was nearly impossible a majority of the time.

"You mean those people who are after you? From Easter?"

Ikuto didn't want to worry her about the fact that they could also come after her to use against him, but he didn't need to give her a heart attack. He preferred a smile from her, the way her eyes closed with the expression, that warm feeling that seemed to envelop those around her when she did…that…

…that was what was making him…

"Ikuto…?"

Ikuto snaps out of his daze, his smile fading as he frowns, raising an eyebrow slowly. Hotaru's eyes widen, her blush returning once more as she pulls away, looking down bashfully.

"….kun."

Ikuto chuckles, shaking his head a bit as he reaches into his pocket, his fingers quick to find the chain that was oh-so-familiar to him. Pulling it out, he holds it up a bit, inspecting the key that seemed to haunt him at times, while bringing back fond memories. It was an item of contradiction that he treasured. Turning his gaze to the back of Hotaru's head, his gaze softens unintentionally.

An item he treasured…

"As for me disappearing…I think I have a way of getting rid of that fear."

"Really? How-"

"Stay still."

Hotaru had been mid-turn when Ikuto told her to stay put, her body having freezing instantly. Blinking in confusion, she waits, her ears picking up the sound of his footsteps when she sees a chain pass her eyes.

Emerald pupils follow the item at the end, a small gasp escaping her mouth before suddenly turning to Ikuto.

"B-But Ikuto…"

Another frown.

"…kun, this is-"

"I know what it is."

She stops, unsure of how to react. It slowly occurred to her that he was doing this to ease her fear of him vanishing. It was his proof. She smiles softly, hands clasped around the dumpty key.

"Thank you, Ikuto-kun."

He smirks as he begins to walk ahead.

"For what?"

* * *

Hotaru knocks on the door, Amu's mother quick to greet and allow them in. Hotaru and Ikuto head upstairs, both finding Amu in deep thought. Ikuto lingers by the door, leaning on it after closing it shut.

"Amu-chan…"

Amu turns to Hotaru, a smile on her face as she sees her, only for it to falter slightly at the sight of Ikuto. She looks unsurely between them before pulling Hotaru closer. She leads them to the balcony, closing the sliding door shut behind them despite Ikuto's inquisitive gaze. Hotaru smiles reassuringly before turning to the troubled pink-haired girl.

"Amu-chan…What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Amu's hands fiddle with one another, the girl having trouble on how to word the thoughts that had been bouncing in her head since she had spoken with Tadase. She opens her mouth several times only to close it and pace a bit.

Hotaru was watching Amu with interest, now deeply curious as to what she had to say.

"Amu, are you sure you're-"

"Was Ikuto with you last night?"

Hotaru's eyes widen at this, a bit unsure as to where this was coming from. Cheeks tinting lightly, her eyes avert downwards.

"Y-yes."

It's quiet a bit, Hotaru lifting her head after a minute of silence only to see Amu's face a deep red. Hotaru's eyes widen in embarrassment as she begins to wave her hands, as if trying to ward off the thoughts that were entering Amu's mind at the suggestive response she had given her.

"N-N-No! Not like that! He just spent the night! Nothing happened!"

Amu slowly nods her head, somewhat relieved to hear that as Hotaru was suddenly uncomfortable. She was now glad they were outside a bit, considering her face was heated up. Hotaru makes a notion to go back inside, the wind a bit biting, Amu nodding her head in agreement. Hotaru opens the sliding door, walking back into Amu's room as Amu follows suit.

"I assure you though. I'm telling the truth. I don't think it could possibly be him."

Ikuto was struggling not to eavesdrop, his cat ears and tail having already appeared as they came back into the room. Amu doesn't respond to Hotaru though, her eyes continuing to glance at the blue-haired teen in the room.

He sighs.

"I get it. I'll wait outside."

Hotaru smiles softly.

"Thank you Ikuto…"

He stops, one of his cat ears twitching. She sweat drops, her cheeks flushing again.

"…kun."

She really needed to get the hang of that.

After getting what he wants, he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Amu sighs, head hanging a bit.

"Sorry, it's just-"

"I understand Amu-chan. Now tell me, what did Tadase say exactly?"

Hotaru listens quietly as Amu begins to relay Tadase's tale to her, the encounter, the fight, and the one behind the egg stealing. Hotaru's eyes widened slightly throughout the explanation, though her mind was set.

There was no way Ikuto could be behind this.

"He was with me the whole night. He was there when I went to sleep, and he was there when I woke up."

"How do you know he didn't leave in the middle of the night?"

"Because I would have known."

Amu tilts her head a bit at this, the question mark pretty much visible above her head.

"How?"

Hotaru's face heats up once more, steam seeming to emit from the flustered girl.

"B-because…he w-was in the same…bed…"

Amu's eyes go wide at the last bit, unsure as to whether she heard correctly or not. Repeating it over in her head, allowing it to sink in, she finally nods her head, her face turning red once more.

"I see….Hotaru…"

Hotaru's eyes avert back to Amu, said girl's face hidden by her pink hair.

"….you're a woman now."

Hotaru stands up, once more, heart rate increased ten-fold.

"I told you nothing happened!"

Hotaru stops, realizing that she screamed out her statement. Sitting herself calmly at the table once more, she places her hands in her lap, sitting properly.

"…nothing happened…"

After awhile, she hears giggles, her embarrassment fading as she sees Amu's lit up face. The laughter is contagious as she, too, begins to laugh, glad to have the tension leave the room and atmosphere.

"Thank you Hotaru-chan…I'm glad to know that he isn't behind this. I'm sure maybe Tadase-kun didn't see properly since it was night."

Hotaru nods her head, glad to have Amu's support in this situation. Hotaru watches as she stands, her eyes on the elementary-schooler's happy expression.

"I'll go let Ikuto know that he can come in now."

Hotaru nods her head, turning her head back to the window, watching a few clouds roll by in the sky. The sky itself was a grey color, symbolizing the snow that had fallen the previous nights and the cold that was surrounding the town.

"Hey, Ikuto!"

Hotaru turns to the door at the sound of Amu's voice, the sounds somewhat muffled considering the door was closed. What was bothering her though was the fact that the tone wasn't cheerful or teasing.

It sounded a bit upset.

Standing up slowly, she takes one step, listening carefully, the silence seeming to only echo the thudding sound of her heartbeat and further encourage the cold feeling running up her arms.

"Why….here…?"

Hotaru's head snaps up a bit, the other voice sounding familiar.

_'Who is…?'_

Taking a few more steps forward, she leans her head a bit further, hoping to hear more.

"Can I…in love…you?"

Hotaru's eyes widen. That was Ikuto's voice this time, her hand now grabbing the doorknob and opening the door. She could feel all eyes on her, her heart faltering a bit at the sight of the owner of the unknown voice.

She gulps.

"T-Tadase…kun…"

She looks between them, unsure of what to say when Tadase's voice breaks the silent.

"You…you were in on this too, Nikaidou-san?"

She could feel her heart break at the sound of the betrayal in his voice. She looks away as she nods her head, her voice low with regret.

"Yes…"

Before she can get anything else out, Tadase takes off down the stairs, leaving them in silence. Hotaru is unsure of what to say, opening her mouth to somehow pick up the broken pieces when Amu's voice pierces her ears.

"Idiot!"

Hotaru is shocked by Amu's words, turning to her with surprise.

"Amu-chan, what are you-?"

"Why did you…? You're horrible Ikuto!"

Hotaru was sure now that she was missing something, glancing to Ikuto for an answer when Amu answers it for her.

"Why did you say those things? Why did you taunt him like that?"

It slowly hits her as she realizes what she heard Ikuto saying. She lowers her head, unsure of what to do now, closing her eyes in pain as she stands there.

…useless.

"I never want to see your face again!"

Hotaru reaches out to Amu a bit, Amu seeming to notice this as she runs into her room, her voice filled with pain.

"Both of you leave now!"

Hotaru stands there, shocked by everything that just seemed to overcome them. Suddenly the laughter that she had gotten out of Amu was gone….and she knew that Amu's support along with it.

Hotaru turns as she hears Ikuto heading down the stairs, her feet easily carrying her after him.

"W-wait! Where are you going?"

He continues on outside, thanking Amu's mother before leaving. Hotaru watches as the door closes, feeling her heart shatter a bit. Amu's mother seems to notice the tension, her voice surprising Hotaru.

"You love him."

Hotaru turns to her, the smile on Midori's face giving her hope.

"Go after him."

Hotaru nods her head, quickly slipping on her shoes and coat as she runs after him. Her thoughts are muddled as she searches for him, Kia and Lily already floating up to get a sight on him.

_'Ikuto…You've done something horrible…but….'_

Her hand clasps around the Dumpty key as Kia signals her in a direction.

_'…I know deep down you didn't mean those things…!'_

Turning a corner, she's quick to spot Ikuto, her footsteps quickening.

"Ikuto!"

Ikuto's head snaps up as he hears Hotaru's melodic voice calling his name. He's not quick to turn in time as he feels thin arms wrap around him, the body they're attached to shivering. He knew it wasn't from the cold either.

"You said you weren't going to disappear! Please…"

Ikuto's eyebrows furrow as he hears her voice break a bit. He's about to say something when he suddenly tenses up. Hotaru, feeling the change, peeks around Ikuto to get a glimpse at his face, his skin seeming pale to her.

"I-Ikuto…?"

She follows his line of sight to spot several men in suits heading their way, rather quickly. She doesn't have time to ponder about them as Ikuto suddenly grabs her hand, already beginning to tug her along down alleys and pathways.

"I-Ikuto! Who are-?"

She stops, remembering his words about the men that had chased him.

"Ikuto, we need to-"

She's cut off as Ikuto's ears and tail appear once more, his hands quick to slide around her back and under her knees. Instinctively, she wraps her arms around his neck as he begins to jump along and over walls.

"Ikuto, head to my house. We can hide there."

Ikuto doesn't answer her, but she notices his direction change, their surroundings slowly turning familiar. She was honestly afraid, but she knew that if they lost them, they could hide and wait for them to leave the area.

A sudden noise causes Ikuto to wince a bit, his eyes noticing Hotaru's house. Quick to jump onto the wall, he springs to the tree before landing on Hotaru's balcony. She sighs relief as he eases her onto her feet, Hotaru smiling triumphantly.

"Ikuto, we lost them! We-"

She stops, noting the regret that seemed to be filling in Ikuto's eyes, the apology that he wanted to say practically screaming at her.

"Ikuto…?"

So many thoughts were going through Ikuto's mind.

_'They're only after me…'_

He noticed Hotaru's smile as she seemed overjoyed at their small success…

…but he knew it was only temporary.

_'They'll find her if I stay here. They'll kidnap her…they'll…'_

Images of when she was being controlled flash through his mind, a sneer appearing on his face. It's when he hears Hotaru calling his name does he snap out of his reverie, his amethyst eyes screaming his thoughts.

He knew what he had to do.

"Ikuto, what's-?"

She stops, Ikuto's hand shooting out to grab her wrist, quick to pull her into his embrace. Hotaru wanted to enjoy the hug, but…she could feel the desperation behind it.

"Hotaru…."

"Ikuto, no!"

"…I'm sorry…"

A sharp pain in her neck is all she can register as her vision begins to blur, Ikuto's face fading with it. She struggles helplessly to stay awake, but her mind is already beginning to lose it's train of thought, her senses going numb…

…she falls unconscious.

* * *

Nikaidou had just arrived home, resting his briefcase on the kitchen table as he looks around.

"Hotaru, I'm home!"

His fingers begin to undo the choking tie around his neck as his feet lead him upstairs. Heading straight to Hotaru's room, he notices the door slightly ajar.

"Hotaru?"

Opening the door slowly, he looks around, finding the room empty. He begins to scratch his head when his eyes land on Hotaru's sliding door, his eyes noticing the unconscious girl outside. Rushing over, he's quick to unlock it, going to his knees as he lifts Hotaru's head up.

"Hotaru! Hotaru!"

He notes the jacket around her form, it obviously not belonging to her.

"Uh….."

He turns his attention back to her as Hotaru's eyes flutter open, a relieved smile overcoming him.

"Hotaru, thank goodness! Are you alright?"

Hotaru's eyes slowly move about her, her mind slowly registering her brother before feeling the cold wind that seemed to be biting at her skin.

In a rush, it comes back to her, her body instantly sitting up.

"Ikuto-kun!"

Yuu is confused, shocked mainly at his sister calling out Ikuto's name. It dawns on him slowly as to whose jacket he couldn't register, and why Hotaru was outside, unconscious.

"…no…."

Tears begin to stream down Hotaru's face, her hands coming up to her face.

"No…no…no!"

Nikaidou is quick to wrap his arms around Hotaru's sobbing form, knowing that he's helpless to comfort his sister.

"Ikuto!"

* * *

A man in the shadows watches in the moonlight as X eggs begin appearing around him, the sound of a crying violin echoing about him.

He smirks, feeling smug that his plan was working.

"You're doing a good job…"

His eyes land on the one holding the distressed instrument, his clothes not his usual attire or transformation form, his eyes lifeless.

The man chuckles.

"…Ikuto."

* * *

**Author's Note: And there you have it. lol**

**Another chapter finally posted, which I hoped you all enjoyed. Remember, go to my profile page to check out the page full of Hotaru art.**

**It's nice~ 3**

**Until then, I hope to be hearing from those who still care about this story.  
**


	32. Story Short: From Afar, I Watch

**Author's Note: Okay, okay. I must warn you...this isn't a chapter of _'A Childhood Dream Come True'_ *hides behind wall***

**But it does involve Hotaru. I was reading a fellow author of mine's story. She's writing a story from Yukari's POV about when her and Yuu are dating. Obviously, they reach their break up and the whole time I was reading it, I couldn't help but imagine the scene of when he goes home to Hotaru. I mainly wanted to write an interaction between the siblings and show Yuu's step into the darkness as well as his commitment to his sister.**

**So, please don't hate me! XD I wasn't planning to post this on here originally, but decided it was worth sharing!**

**Dedicated: To all of those who have added this to their favorites~ I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!**

**_Enjoy~_  
**

* * *

**~Story short~**

From Afar, I Watch…

_Onii-chan…_

_I miss you…_

_These days, you seem busy…More so than usual._

_You act…different…_

_Dress differently…_

…_and lately…_

…_I've been afraid._

A young girl of 12 is sitting in her room, the pencil in her hand scribbling across the sheet of paper laid out in front of her. It was a bit late, her clock blinking a bit as if telling her that it was past her bedtime.

Her homework had been finished a long time ago, but she couldn't sleep. Her parents were traveling abroad as usual, the servants not having worked for a few days.

She was lonely…

Words of rhyme were spilling from her mind, her thoughts occupied with putting them down on paper. What was keeping her awake though…

…was her brother.

She couldn't help but notice how he had been acting differently. The girl's hand stops as she looks up towards the ceiling, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Ever since that new job…"

Her brother had taken on the job of being an elementary school teacher, his attitude having changed. It was miniscule, but it was there. It bothered Hotaru more than anything.

He was coming home late, being gone for days on end sometimes, only to come home and confine himself to his room. She was also noticing how Yukari-nee-san was coming over less often, which meant she didn't see Kairi as much either.

She felt change in the air.

A door slams, the walls vibrating from the force thrown into it.

Hotaru jumps at the sound, the pencil falling from her delicate fingers as she turns her eyes to her closed bedroom door. She stands up warily, her nerves jumbled from the sudden fright. Slowly making a crack in her doorway, she makes her way downstairs after making sure the coast is clear.

Her eyes widen as she sees her brother standing at the door, his head hung low.

"Onii-chan?"

Yuu's head snaps up, not having expected anyone to be awake, despite the loud noise he had just created. Placing a smile on his lips, he returns the greeting, hoping to comfort his worried younger sister.

Hotaru frowns a bit at the lie of a smile.

"Hotaru? You're still awake? What are you doing up this late?"

Hotaru looks down shyly, obviously knowing she was a bit in trouble considering she had school the next morning.

"Well, I…I couldn't sleep."

Yuu is surprised by this, wondering what is troubling his sister's mind.

"Can't sleep? Is something bothering you?"

Hotaru's hand fidgets with the bottom of her skirt, unsure of how to phrase her words. After a few seconds, she walks down the last few steps to stand in front of her brother.

"Well…you seem to have changed a bit Onii-chan. You seem…distant."

Yuu's eyes widened, his body going numb at the somewhat familiar words. He had heard one's like these earlier that day.

"_I wish things hadn't changed between us."_

"_You've become so much colder."_

Hotaru noticed her brother's sudden silence, her eyebrows furrowing with worry.

"Onii-chan?"

Yuu snaps out of his daze thanks to his sister's voice, his eyes locking with hers before offering her an apologetic smile.

"Are you okay?"

Yuu was unsure of how to answer, opening his mouth only to be cut off once more.

"Why doesn't Yukari-nee-san come over anymore?"

That seemed to be the last straw for Yuu's heart as his voice suddenly fills the quiet space.

"We will never talk about her again!"

Hotaru is taken aback by her brother's sudden outburst, her body trembling once more, fear filling her eyes once more. Noticing the consequences of his actions, he sighs, his fingers massaging his forehead a bit.

"S-sorry Hotaru..I've…had a long day."

Hotaru nods her head slowly, stepping forward again. Yuu's eyes open and lock with his sister's as he feels gentle hands on his own. A soft smile fills Hotaru's face, her eyes gentle and heart-warming.

"How about I make food then to warm us up for bed? Will that help?"

Yuu smiles softly at his sister's brightness, his thoughts sometimes envying her for always shining brightly despite the hard times around her.

"I…would like that…."

Hotaru nods her head, a few hums of happiness escaping her mouth.

"Alright, then I'll-"

Hotaru is cut off suddenly, as two arms wrap around her shoulders, Yuu's head resting in the crook of her neck. Hotaru is unsure of what is going on when she feels her brother's grip tighten, his body trembling slightly.

Yuu did not want her to see his tears.

Hotaru slowly wraps her own arms around her older brother, unsure of what to do or how to comfort him.

_I will not lose you too Hotaru…_

_No matter what happens…_

_No matter the price…_

_I will do what I can to keep you safe…_

"Never change Hotaru."

_I promise…_

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed! I'll shall post the next chapter next year~**

**Happy Holidays everyone! :D**

**P.S.-Yes, I did get permission from my fellow author to write/post this.**

**The story by the way, is The Breakup:Yukari's Story by AshenWhisper! Go check it out!  
**


	33. Believe

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm back earlier than usual! XD Sorry it's been taking so long, just having fun with drawing...and work. Lots and lots of work... -_-'**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: To those who have stuck by my side and to those who have come along recently. 3**

_Summary: __Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 32: Believe**

"Hotaru, are you awake?"

A soft knock emits from Hotaru's bedroom door, her brother waiting patiently for an answer. Hotaru had cried herself to sleep last night, having caught a slight fever from the cold. He sighs before going away, unsure of what to do in this situation.

Hotaru is sitting on her bed, her eyes wide in shock as Yoru knocks on her balcony door. Quick to rise, she opens it to allow the obviously shaken Chara.

"Yoru! What are you doing here? Where's Ikuto?"

Yoru's eyes are red as if he's been crying, his little paws wiping at his eyes on occasion.

"The d-director of Easter has him!"

Hotaru's eyes widen in shock, her heart beat seeming to echo in her ears.

"E-easter…caught him…?"

Yoru nods his head.

"Yes, we have to go save him or he could die! I…"

Yoru looks down, a bit saddened, almost a bit afraid as if he was in trouble.

"…I didn't want to tell you this because I was afraid you'd get mad, but…truth is…the other night…there was a weird sound…"

Hotaru nods her head, sitting down and allowing Yoru to sit on her lap for comfort. She was personally in some need for comfort as well, her hair still down since she had just woken up despite it being mid-afternoon. Her fever had caused her to sleep a lot.

Her dreams had been filled with images of Ikuto.

"When I heard the sound, I woke up to see what Ikuto was doing and he was up…with the violin in his hands…A completely black egg came from it!"

Hotaru closes her eyes in anger as she recalls Ikuto spacing out about the violin a few days ago.

_'Why didn't he tell me!'_

Kia and Lily float over, both pondering about the situation.

"A completely black egg?"

"It wasn't an X egg?"

Yoru shakes his head, seemingly having thought of the same thing himself.

"That egg and Ikuto character transformed together and then he took off. I don't know…"

Yoru's head lowers, his eyes watering slightly.

"Ever since we got the violin back from the head of Easter, it seems like he's in a daze. As if he's being controlled by something, nya! He gets weaker and paler every day too! At this rate he'll be killed by it!"

Hotaru's head lowers, her bangs hiding her eyes as they water up. This was all so much to take in.

"I followed him as far as I could that night, but then he started fighting with the kiddie king…"

A small gasp sounds from Hotaru's lips, her eyes widening in realization that Tadase was telling the truth.

* * *

_(Flashback)_

_"Can I…in love…you?"_

_Hotaru's eyes widen. That was Ikuto's voice this time, her hand now grabbing the doorknob and opening the door. She could feel all eyes on her, her heart faltering a bit at the sight of the owner of the unknown voice._

_She gulps._

_"T-Tadase…kun…"_

_She looks between them, unsure of what to say when Tadase's voice breaks the silent._

_"You…you were in on this too, Nikaidou-san?"_

_She could feel her heart break at the sound of the betrayal in his voice. She looks away as she nods her head, her voice low with regret._

_(End Flashback)_

_

* * *

_

_'He said those mean things…It wasn't meant to hurt Tadase…'_

Hotaru's hand comes up to grasp the Dumpty Key hanging around her neck, her eyes softening at the sight of it.

"Ikuto…gave me his Dumpty Key to assure me that he wasn't going to disappear."

All of the Chara stare at her as she seems to turn it in her hand a bit before clenching her fist. Standing up quickly, a fire seems to burn behind Hotaru's eyes.

"I will not allow him to vanish! Yoru!"

Hotaru turns to Yoru, a smile appearing on her face as he watches her in awe.

"Let's go find him."

Yoru smiles happily, a few tears straying at the corner of his eyes.

"Right, nya!"

* * *

Hotaru is jumping from roof to roof, her hair billowing behind her, wrapped in bandages, a small tuft at the end. After having changed into warmer clothes, she transformed with Kia, her ninja outfit in view.

"This way!"

Hotaru nods her head, Lily behind her, as they make another turn, the sky having already darkened to it's customary violet for the night. After making a few more turns, Hotaru finds herself faced with a familiar wall, one she hopes to not be the same as they jump over.

Memories of their laughter and the lights flash behind her eyes as she stares at the dead amusement park.

"The amusement park…"

She scans the area, her mind wary of her surroundings. People were everywhere despite the park having been abandoned.

"Why are there so many people here?"

Lily's eyes harden.

"All of their heart eggs have been stolen."

Hotaru's head snaps up as a cold feeling runs down her spine, her head turning to her right. There, on top of the carousel, is none other than Ikuto, a glowing black egg in his hand.

"Ikuto!"

Yoru's voice shouts out.

"There's that black egg again!"

Hotaru's eyes scan it, her pupils shaking as if scared.

_'Is that a new Chara egg? Why…does it feel like it's alive?'_

Taking a step forward, Hotaru draws a kunai, holding it up, ready for any attack. Her heart clenches as Ikuto's voice sounds out, the lack of emotion behind it hurting her.

"My heart. Unlock."

Hotaru watches in shock as Ikuto Character Transforms with the black egg, his clothes changing drastically. A long, fur-lined, coat appears on his body, a suit underneath, a intimidating scythe appearing in his gloved hands.

Hotaru takes a step back warily.

"I-Ikuto…"

Ikuto is quick to move forward, his arms rising the blade only to try and slice Hotaru. Hotaru is quick on her feet though as she jumps back, dodging the attack.

"He really is being controlled! How is he able to transform without the key!"

Yoru is quick to be by her side.

"That violin is sucking up his life! It's the reason why he's able to transform with that egg!"

Hotaru's mouth turns into a grimace as she turns to Ikuto, desperate to return him to normal.

"Ikuto! Pull yourself together!"

She stops to face him, her kunai raised shakingly.

"Don't you remember who I am? AH!"

She raises the kunai in time to block Ikuto, her body leaning back from his strength. Yelling, she pushes him back just in time to dodge him swinging at her once more.

A loud crash causes Hotaru to freeze.

Turning around slowly, her eyes widen in shock as she sees one of the carousel horses destroyed.

_'No…the amusement park…This is Ikuto's special place…'_

Dodging a few more attacks, blocking another, she jumps back, her back hitting a small iron fence. As she turns to see her obstruction, she notices the ride currently behind her.

_'The teacups!'_

_

* * *

_

_(Flashback)_

_"Aren't you going to ride anything?"_

_"No, I'm having fun just watching you."_

_Hotaru is a little taken back before grabbing his hand._

_"C'mon, you have to ride at least one."_

_Though, what Hotaru and Ikuto were currently in had not exactly been her best idea. They were both a bit scrunched up in a small, spinning tea cup meant for kids. Hotaru was trying so hard not to laugh, because to her, Ikuto seemed so out of place._

_"This has been wonderful."_

_Hotaru turns her sight off to the side, the images spinning around her. Ikuto watches her with interested eyes, waiting for her to continue._

_"I never knew that parks like this could be so fun. I'm glad I finally went to one. It's such a change for me."_

_Ikuto leans his head into his hand._

_"Things change unfortunately. Everyone becomes older, distant…This amusement park is an example. So many kids used to come here, and now it's going to disappear soon. Everything is coming to an end. Only those who really care about you notice the small differences."_

_Hotaru is quiet as the teacup comes to a stop, the power going out. Hotaru smiles._

_"Yes, well…I don't like to think of it as an end. Change…"_

_She blushes as she stares intensely at Ikuto, her smile warm._

_"…is a new beginning."_

_(End Flashback)_

_

* * *

_

"Hotaru!"

Hotaru turns around, everything seeming to move slowly as she spots Ikuto heading towards her, blade illuminating from the full moon in the sky. Despite the urge in her legs to move out of the way, her heart was yelling at her to stay put.

Raising her arms defiantly, she waits, eyebrows clenched in fear as she watches Ikuto raise his scythe.

"Hotaru!"

"Nikaidou-san!"

Hotaru closes her eyes in fear only to open once more as she hears the sound of metal clashing. In front of her is Amu and Tadase, Amu standing in front of her, Tadase clashed with Ikuto.

"Amu-chan…Tadase-kun…"

She can't help but smile as relief seems to settle into her gut, the feeling of uneasiness settling in as well as she realizes that Ikuto wasn't going to stop. She hears Tadase trying to talk to Ikuto, her mind somewhat numb, her hand clenched tightly around the Dumpty key around her neck.

Amu turns to her, worry etched in her features.

"Hotaru, are you okay?"

Hotaru nods her head, offering a smile of comfort.

"Yes, I am. Thanks you guys."

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto!"

Hotaru and Amu turn to Tadase and Ikuto as they pull apart, Ikuto's hand coming up to clench his head. Hotaru steps forward.

"Ikuto-kun…"

"Can't…too close…"

Hotaru's ears pick up a faint sound, her body running cold at the noise, Ikuto's face contorting into one of pain before swinging at them, each of them barely able to dodge his attack. Hotaru steps forward, her voice filled with desperation.

"Ikuto-kun! Please! Snap out of it!"

"Geez. What childish rubbish."

All three turn to the sound of the new voice, each of them standing in shock as an older man walks towards them.

"What are you doing Ikuto? If you are going to lure out the Embryo, we need more X eggs! Don't bother with those brats!"

Tadase raises his sword, eyes defiant.

"Who are you?"

"I am Easter's Director. Hoshina Kazuomi. I'm Ikuto's step-father."

A few gasps break the silence as the man reaches into his suit coat, pulling out a small tuning fork.

"Ikuto…do I have to use it again?"

Tapping it lightly, small dark waves emit from it, the sound causing Ikuto to cover his ears in pain. Hotaru rushes over to him, worry gleaming in her emerald pupils.

"Ikuto!"

Amu and Tadase prepare for battle.

"That's what he's using to control him!"

"That's horrible!"

Kazuomi only chuckles, his laughter one filled with darkness.

"What's so horrible about it? Everything is as you see. Ikuto is happily working for Easter."

Hotaru frowns, her body a few steps away from Ikuto.

"That's a lie! I believe in Ikuto!"

More laughter.

"You believe in Ikuto?"

"Yes! That's why I'm going to save him!"

A smirk appears on Kazuomi's face as he begins to push down Hotaru's words.

"Kids like you wouldn't understand! You're filled with happy endings and useless dreams, aren't you? Believing in someone is worthless! You don't need to believe in anyone!"

"You're wrong."

Amu steps forward as Tadase does.

"Ikuto may have done some bad things but he had good intentions, besides…"

Amu turns to Hotaru, a soft smile on her face.

"…there's someone he cares about deeply that I care for."

She turns back around, her amethyst eyes hardened.

"I will not allow you to break that!"

Amu raises her heart baton as Tadase raises his royal staff. Crossing them together, a strong light begins to emit from them as they purify the X eggs. Hotaru smiles as a warm glow envelops around her.

"Even if you can live without believing…Your heart needs to feed upon it to live. The feeling of believing in someone…The feeling when you think about it…"

Hotaru's eyes lower to the key, images of when she first met Ikuto crossing her thoughts, the egg around her neck shaking a bit.

"It's so gentle…It's like a snack…but if you have too much, you'll spoil your heart…even so…You need that feeling to continue on. "

As Hotaru opens her eyes, a shining bright light appears from above, everyone looking up to see it.

Hotaru's eyes widen.

"The Embryo…?"

* * *

**Author's Note: So, there is another chapter. Sorry it's been taking so long. I've just been in the mood to actually write past stories, I'm just not sure how you guys would react . XD**

**If you guys are up for a few memory stories like when Kairi and Hotaru first met and the full version of when Hotaru first met Ikuto and when they ran into each other again. lol**

**Well, Happy New Year to you guys~! :D  
**


	34. No Sad Endings

**Author's Note: I'm SO SORRY! I've been so busy with work to the point in order to get days off I had to use vacation time. . I've also been busy drawing and what not, but that's not the point. I'm actually wanting to thank those who have been dedicated, waiting patiently and to those who are new. If it wasn't for you guys, my readers...I wouldn't be doing this. Now! Enough sap! I hope you guys enjoy! I'll be posting more soon since I have like 5 days off! w**

**Dedication: To all of my readers. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto__ has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister. So, there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 33: No Sad Endings**

Hotaru was frozen in shock. She wasn't sure of what was going on, but the bright egg in front of her…She knew she needed to get it.

"The Embryo!"

Hotaru turns to Amu and Tadase, both of their eyes fixated on the glowing source of light as well. Kazuomi and his minions look around hurriedly.

"The Embryo? Where?"

"I don't see it!"

A small thought clicks inside their heads. They can't see it. Hotaru didn't have time to ponder as to why, but she knew they needed to act fast. Hotaru kneels down ready to pounce when she spots a small boy in the distance, his expression one of awe as he too was staring at the egg.

_'Who is…?'_

"Don't let those kids get away!"

Hotaru turns back to the egg, the Embryo beginning to move away from them. Hotaru and Amu jump towards it, arms outstretched.

"Wait!"

"No!"

As they seem to have it within their grasp, the light intensifies from the egg, causing Kazuomi and his guards to shield their eyes, Tadase's voice filling the air.

"Amu-chan! Nikaidou-san!"

Hotaru could feel a warmth begin to envelop her body.

_'What's…this feeling?'_

But it was too much to handle as Amu and Hotaru are thrown back by force from the Embryo, the egg disappearing altogether. Tadase is quick to act on catching Amu, Hotaru hitting the ground a bit roughly, their transformations having faded.

"Amu-chan! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…but the Embryo..!"

Hotaru struggles to stand up, her body aching slightly when her ears pick up a voice.

"Tsk! Let's go! Bring that useless brat with you!"

Hotaru turns to them, fear in her eyes as she hurriedly stands up, running towards them.

"No! Ikuto!"

She's about to reach them when she stumbles, her head rising only in time to see their black limo speed off. Defeat seems to fill her as she pounds a fist on the ground.

"No…they got away…"

Tears begin to fill her eyes.

"They're controlling him…Ikuto…At this rate, his life will…"

"Hotaru."

Hotaru turns around, Amu and Tadase both offering her their hands. Both seem determined.

"It's going to be alright."

"C'mon, we'll take you home. Can you stand?"

Hotaru looks at their hands before grabbing hold of both of them, each using a little force to pull her to her feet. Rubbing at her watering eyes, she nods her head. It occurred to her that now was not the time to be weak, and what an example she was setting. She was the oldest here.

"Um, Tadase…"

Hotaru and Tadase turn to Amu as she suddenly bows, Hotaru's expression a bit bewildered.

"I'm sorry!"

Hotaru's eyes soften. She understood now.

"Even though I said I wasn't hiding anything, I knew where Ikuto was!"

Tadase shakes his head and offers her a gentle smile.

"It's okay. Don't worry. It occurs to me now how worried you must have been when I vanished suddenly. It's alright now…so…"

Tadase offers a hand.

"Can we shake hands on it? Friends?"

Amu's face lights up with joy as she takes Tadase's hand, both shaking it happily. Amu then turns to Hotaru, Hotaru tilting her head in curiosity.

"I'm sorry to you too Hotaru…You believed in Ikuto and you knew he wouldn't do things bad on purpose…and yet I pushed both of you away."

Hotaru shakes her head, patting Amu's head playfully.

"It's alright. It was understandable to have suspicions and you don't know Ikuto as well as I do."

"As you do?"

Hotaru notices Tadase and Amu looking at her inquisitively, said girl's face turning red before trying to cover it with her hands.

"What are you guys thinking?"

Both kids begin to laugh a bit, glad that the mood was lightening up a bit. Tadase looks around after awhile, his thoughts going back to nostalgic times.

"This amusement park…We all came to play here. My family and Ikuto's."

Hotaru gasps, never having heard of this before.

"From the time he started living with us, he always…"

"Wait, what?"

Amu was obviously shocked by this bit of news.

"Ikuto lived in your house?"

"Yes, but only for a short while. Utau-chan did as well."

Hotaru giggles at Amu's shocked face. She hadn't known either, but the pieces were beginning to fit very well from what she knew.

"This time…I'll tell you about Ikuto and I…"

* * *

Kazuomi was not pleased after the events that had just taken place. The fact of failure was not one he liked very well. Ikuto was unconscious in the back seat, his body seeming lifeless.

"Damn…those brats got in our way. Just a little longer and the Embryo would have been ours."

Kazuomi turns his eyes to look outside at the passing scenery.

"Up until now, I thought the Embryo would only appear when there was a large amount of X eggs, but now…"

A smirk appears on his face as he recalls Amu and Tadase's move in purifying the eggs.

"I've got it now! Now we'll definitely get the Embryo to Gozen!"

His laughter fills the air as they continue driving away.

* * *

Hotaru listens patiently as Tadase tells his story, of how Ikuto and Utau came to live in their home. From Aruto's, Ikuto's father, disappearance to when his father gave him the Humpty key. Hotaru had never imagined that their families had been friends before the kids had been born, but she knew it wasn't impossible.

Hotaru was now sitting in class, though her thoughts weren't on that day's lessons.

From Ikuto's father leaving to the events that followed, Hotaru couldn't blame Tadase for thinking the way he had. Poor Ikuto…

_'…he went through all that pain…alone…'_

Hotaru suddenly stands, walking forward to the teacher's desk and excusing herself. She barely makes it to the abandoned bathroom when the tears begin to fall down her face.

"Ikuto….IKUTO!"

It hurt.

* * *

Hotaru was on her balcony, her eyes looking out toward the setting sun, her hair billowing behind her through a gentle breeze.

_'I wonder…where Ikuto is…'_

A knock at her door causes her to turn around, a small smile appearing on her face as her brother peeks his head in.

"Hi Onii-chan."

Her brother walks over to her, one hand in his pocket, still clad in the suit he usually wore to teach. He probably had just come home.

"What's on your mind Hotaru?"

Hotaru's eyebrows furrow. Her brother always seemed to know when something was on her mind. She explains to him what Tadase had told her and her thoughts on the situation. It's as she finishes do her eyes water up again, her hand desperately rubbing at them to stop.

"That's enough."

"Huh?"

Hotaru turns to her brother only to have him flick her forehead. Her hands come up to touch the sore spot, her anger rising a bit.

"What was that for?"

"To get you to stop crying."

Hotaru's yells stop as she realizes he was right.

"I don't like when your in this mood. The Hotaru I remember used to always believe didn't write stores with sad ending."

Hotaru gasps inwardly, her eyes widening to a time when she was young.

* * *

_(Flashback)_

_"I'm home!"_

_A small Hotaru walks in, clad in an elementary school uniform, her parents walking down the stairs. It had been awhile since they had been home, though no one turned to greet her. She walks over to them._

_"Mommy! Daddy! Look what I-"_

_"Not now Hotaru. Mommy and Daddy have to go. We're in a hurry."_

_Her mom places a quick kiss to her forehead as her dad pats her head. She watches as they both disappear behind the door._

_"Welcome home, Hotaru!"_

_Hotaru turns at the familiar voice, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her brother. She rushes over, throwing her arms around his waist._

_"I'm home, Onii-tan!"_

_"Welcome home, Hotaru. Have Mom and Dad…"_

_Hotaru meekly nods her head, doing her best to not be upset._

_"Are you sad, Hotaru?"_

_Hotaru shakes her head, lifting her head to show a smile to her older brother._

_"No! I have Onii-tan!"_

_Yuu chuckles at his cute sister's smile before walking over and sitting in the living room._

_"So, what'd you do in school today?"_

_"I realized…I want to be a writer!"_

_Yuu turns to his sister in bewilderment, not having expected that career choice. He smiles softly._

_"Really? What kind of stories would you right?"_

_Hotaru stands up, raising her arms to the ceiling, her voice full of light._

_"Stories…with no sad endings!"_

_(End Flashback)_

_

* * *

_

Hotaru had forgotten about that, the memory having returned full-force to her.

_'That's right. I did say that…'_

"Your life is your own story Hotaru."

He turns to her, placing a comforting hand on her head.

"So…don't give it a sad ending…okay?"

Hotaru happily nods her head, her motivation returning full force.

"I won't."

_'I promise…'_

_

* * *

_**Author's Note: Got that part out of the way! Now to more action! At least that's what the next chapter should consist of. Guys, I can't believe we're reaching the ending soon. It seems so crazy! I only have a few chapters left. I don't know how many off the top of my head, but it's nuts! How is Hotaru going to save Ikuto? Will there be no sad endings? What is Hotaru's last egg? Let's find out in the next chapters, shall we? :3**_  
_


	35. Friend in Need

**Author's Note: Ta-dah! I got another one done! I'm so shocked! The world is going to end...Just kidding...kind of. XD Anyways, I actually squeezed several parts into this thing just so it would be full of stuff and the next chapter will be all the good stuff. Sorry, I know it's kind of stuff you already know, but it does have to be put in there. Also, a possibly shocking twist? We'll see...**

**Rating: T**

**Dedication: LadyAmazon and Jessluvswriting. You guys...*sobs happy tears* Also check up and cheer me on. Thank you *huggles tightly***

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 34: Friend in need**

Hotaru was currently standing on her balcony, her ponytail billowing out behind her. She was determined to save Ikuto, but she had no idea on where to start looking for him. Running head first into Easter wasn't the way to go and she didn't know of any back doors.

She sighs a bit, the sun still high up. She had been dismissed from class early, the teachers having a meeting that day. She was still in her uniform and everything. Looking around on the ground below, she feels something rising in her throat.

A small note at first, but it begins to pick up volume, her eyes closing as she begins to sing. She stops, hearing a noise. Looking around, she spots a shadow near the gate to her fence run off. Rushing downstairs, she's quick to slip on her shoes and run out the door. She looks around, afraid she lost sight of the shadow when she sees it dash around a corner. She takes off after it.

It's about an hour later of chasing has she lost sight of the shadow, a bit disheartened at not having caught up with it. Just when she thought she'd lost sight of it, she'd see it turn a corner or so. Looking around, she struggles to recall where she is. Sighing, she begins walking down a street and then another….

…before she realizes it, Hotaru finds herself in front of a building, the gate slightly open. She had never seen this place before and something about it made her want to look inside. Walking in cautiously, she opens the main door, her eyes widening at the sight of the planet images.

"It's a Planetarium…"

Hotaru is in awe at the sight, her hand reaching up as if to touch the virtual stars.

"Ah, so you made it."

Hotaru jumps in shock, turning hurriedly to see a man standing in a doorway. In the small side pouch Hotaru was wearing, Lily and Kia pop out, having been sleeping a bit.

"Who…who are you?"

There was something familiar about the man, his hairstyle reminding her of…someone…"

"Wait…you look like…"

"Tadase? We're related."

Now, Hotaru was really confused.

* * *

Hotaru and Tsukasa, that was the name he had given her, were sitting at a table, cups of tea in front of them.

"So…how did you know I was coming?"

Tsukasa takes a sip of his tea, a smile on his face.

"The stars told me."

Hotaru wasn't sure if he was being literal or not, but she decided not to question it. She sensed no ill will from the man. Looking at her cup of tea, she sighs a bit.

"So, tell me what's on your mind Hotaru?"

Hotaru decided not to question how he knew her name. He seemed to have an air about him that shouted that he was like an all-mighty being.

"You're here about Ikuto…"

Hotaru nods her head as she begins relaying what she was told, Tsukasa listening patiently. After she finishes, Tsukasa nods his head.

"We can't locate him either with Yoru because of the device they're using to control him."

"You seem to believe that Ikuto didn't do those bad things."

Hotaru shakes her head.

"I know he did them, but…I feel like he did them for another reason. Like he's alone…and he was afraid of getting others hurt. The only part that confuses me is why Ikuto left in the first place."

Tsukasa chuckles a bit at this, a smile on his face.

"Oh…that was actually my fault. The time he was gone he spent with me."

Hotaru's eyes widened, taking a sip of tea.

"Back then, Ikuto was in a difficult situation. Easter's eyes were on him."

Hotaru listened patiently as he explained his side, everything making sense.

"You and the others are facing a big problem. You guys can change your fate."

Tsukasa smiles softly at Hotaru, her own reflecting his. Talking with this man had calmed her in so many ways.

"Outside the school gate is someone waiting to help you. Let them help you the best they can, okay?"

Hotaru smiles happily, standing up.

"Thank you Tsukasa-san! I'll do my best."

Tsukasa chuckles once more, causing Hotaru to tilt her head curiously. Tsukasa shakes his head a bit as he pulls a small book from the shelf behind him. He holds it out to her.

"Nothing…It's just I can see why Ikuto is fond of you."

Hotaru blushes deeply, a question mark flying above her head.

_'Has Ikuto spoken about me?'_

Hotaru takes the book handed to her, her eyes widening at the cover. The cover read 'The Mermaid's Song'. She looks up at shock at Tsukasa wondering if he knew that this was her favorite book as a child.

Saying thanks to Tsukasa once more, she takes off to exit the building.

_'Don't worry Ikuto. I'll save you.'_

_

* * *

_

"Gozen."

Kazuomi peeks his head into an office, frame upon frame covering the walls, each one holding an individual stone, it's name embellished on a plate underneath. It was tidy and kempt. He looks around, but the place is empty besides himself.

"Goodness. He's out again. I didn't think he would be here. I wonder where he's been disappearing to lately."

He notices a stone out of it's case, placed neatly in the headman's chair. Picking it up, he inspects it for awhile.

"The Embryo we've looking for…I will find it with my own two hands. The light…"

His hand tightens a bit.

"Everything you've hoped for will be in your hands."

* * *

"Hotaru-chan!"

Hotaru blinked in surprise at the sight before her. Her brother was in the driver's seat of his van, Amu and the others in back, ready and waiting for her. She walks over, shock still evident on her face.

"You guys? What are you all doing here?"

"You didn't think you were going to go alone, did you?"

"Yeah, Ikuto is important to us too."

"We can't let Easter get away with what they're doing!"

Hotaru could feel tears filling her eyes as she turns to her brother, his hand reaching over and wiping one that had slipped.

"No sad endings, remember?"

Hotaru nods her head diligently before getting in the van as well, a huge smile on her face. Placing her seat belt on, they began to head off.

"So, why is Nikaidou-sensei helping us?"

Hotaru turns to Rima, ready to answer her question.

"My brother used to work for Easter, so it makes sense that he would know where the headquarters is."

Nikaidou nods his head, though not particularly proud of having worked for Easter. Making a turn, he begins to explain.

"The departments in charge of finding the Embryo were primarily in my department, the development and research, and Yukari's department, the entertainment section. After we were fired, the two departments were combined. Now I hear they're combining sound and X-eggs."

"Sound? Like music videos and concerts?"

Nikaidou nods his head.

"Ikuto is being manipulated by that tuning fork and that violin has something to do with it."

Hotaru giggles as her brother begins yelling about eating snacks in the car as Nagihiko and Tadase begin discussing plans.

"We'll just have to search every building for Easter's studio."

"We have only about 20 minutes to look around the area."

Hotaru was sighing as she sat down back in the van once more. They had searched several studios so far, none of which had been one belonging to Easter.

"What are we going to do?"

Hotaru could feel her shoulders slumping a bit, her head snapping up as she feels a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, there's still one more, but there's still something…"

Nikaidou turns around, letting everyone know that they should call home. It was going to be dark soon. Hotaru smiles softly at her brother. He was always responsible. Tuning out the other's responses to his order, she looks out the window, her eyes scanning the darkening sky.

_'Ikuto…we're coming…'_

_

* * *

_

The car screeches to a stop, Nikaidou putting the van in park.

"Here we are. This is the last building."

"Eh?"

"This is part of Easter too?"

"Close, but not really. It's actually a sister company."

Everyone looks up at the somewhat ominous building, the letters 'TV Kantou' seeming a bit daunting.

"TV Kantou. The radio tower on top was built by Easter's founder."

"Nya?"

Hotaru turns to Yoru, holding him gently as he begins cradling his aching head.

"It's here! I can feel it! Ikuto is here!"

Hotaru's eyes harden as she turns back up to the tower once more. There was a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and it was because of a certain fact that she didn't like. As the others begin discussing how they were going to get inside, Hotaru turns to Nikaidou, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You don't think…?"

Nikaidou shakes his head.

"You know how Mom and Dad are. They probably don't even know half of the stuff that goes on, especially with the way they travel."

Hotaru nods her head, her eyes turning to the ground. Just as the others had decided on what to do, Hotaru walks past them, her head kept low. Amu is in shock.

"Uh, what are you-?"

"What may I help you with Miss?"

Hotaru raises her head, her expression calm and level-headed. The guard's eyes seem to widen, his brain comprehending who he was speaking to.

"M-Miss. Hotaru? I'm sorry!"

He bows deeply.

"I didn't recognize you. You've grown so much."

"I'm here on business for Mom. You mind if my friends and I come in?"

The guard shakes his head, already opening the door.

"Of course not."

Hotaru smiles, nodding her head in thanks before turning to the others. Nikaidou waves his hand.

"I need to park the van properly. I'll catch up with you guys later."

Amu and the others cautiously walk inside with Hotaru, said girl embarrassed.

"Hotaru, how did…?"

"My parents own this place."

They stay quiet, obviously feeling the slight guilt in Hotaru's voice. She could only hope that her parents weren't associated with Easter in any way.

"So, do you know where to go?"

Hotaru shakes her head.

"The tend to renovate this place pretty often. I can't really think of any place they'd specifically keep Ikuto either."

"You!"

Everyone turns suddenly, all recognizing the familiar face.

"I, Saeki Nobuko, know you!"

Her entrance was a little weird and dramatic, but they were relived to see someone they know.

* * *

They were all in Saeki's dressing room, deciding to try and map out where they should search. Saeki's nose was currently stuck in a magazine.

"My fortune was right then! It said that I should 'treasure unexpected meetings and personalities.'"

Hotaru peeks over at the magazine, her eyes widening in shock at the picture of the person who writes the horoscopes. Saeki begins fawning over him, Tadase shaking his head.

"Even here…"

"So, what did you come looking for?"

Hotaru's head snaps up, Saeki's eyes on her.

"Um, how did…?"

"I'm a fortune teller, remember?"

Saeki begins staring intently at Hotaru, said girl fidgeting under her gaze.

"You're…trying…to save someone. Someone…very special to you…"

Hotaru's cheeks tinge pink a bit. Yoru floats over, Hotaru hurriedly pushing him towards Saeki to get the woman's attention off of her.

"We're looking for the owner of this guy. Can you help us?"

Saeki grabs Yoru, peering at him intensely now.

"I see…a tall tower..? A violin..? I hear a sad melody."

Everyone turns to each other.

_'Ikuto!'_

"A tall tower? Could that be the top of the radio tower?"

"Alright!"

"Let's go!"

They begin to take off when Hotaru stops and turns to Saeki Nobuko once more, smiling softly.

"Thank you for your help."

"I wish you luck in your search."

Hotaru and the others begin rushing off, Hotaru leading the way.

"Normally we wouldn't be allowed but being a Nikaidou offspring has it's advantages."

Hotaru's hand comes to pull the key out from under her shirt, her hands cradling it softly before holding it to herself. She had tried to give it back to Tadase after finding out it was originally his, but he had declined her offer.

* * *

_(Flashback)_

_Tadase shakes his head, closing Hotaru's hand around the key._

_"Until I know the true story, it is your key."_

_He smiles softly._

_"Ikuto gave it to you for a reason. He must trust you."_

_(End flashback)_

_

* * *

_

On top of the tower, a sad melody plays, the violin sounding as if it was crying. Ikuto is at the top, his appearance that of his new transformation, Death Rebel. Around him are hundreds of X-eggs, Kazuomi watching diligently, a smirk on his face.

The Embryo will appear once we have gathered enough X-eggs. At the moment when they're purified…!"

He chuckles darkly.

"Let's use those kids to our advantage."

Kazuomi turns to Ikuto, his smirk widening.

"Keep playing Ikuto! Those brats will come soon enough. They've better look out for the traps I've laid too!"

His sinister laugh fills the air.

* * *

**Author's Note: There! Another chapter! Hopefully I can squeeze out the next one soon even though today was my last day of vacation. *looks away guiltily* Hope you guys enjoyed! The next chapter will be full of good stuff! XD**


	36. To the Top

**Author's Note: I am so sorry that I haven't written in so long! So much stuff has happened! I'm in the process of getting a computer built (my house was broken into and my laptop stolen.) It's almost done and once I move out onto my own, I'm sure I'll have more time.**  
**I want to thank all of those who are waiting patiently and for those who have watched me recently. It means a lot to me! I will do my best to make this chapter amazing!**

**Rating: T (Just to be safe.)  
**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 35: To the top...**

Hotaru's breaths come out in puffs as she continues to lead the way up the stairs. The others were close behind her, each one doing their best to keep up when a voice breaks the air.

"Waaiiiittt!"

It was Yaya. It seemed that the height was starting to intimidate some. Nagihiko speaks his thoughts out loud, the thought that was on everyone's mind.

"The radio tower...Looking at it from the bottom, it really is tall, isn't it?"

Some of the guardians nod in agreement, Hotaru doing her best to not let it get to her. Her mind was solely on one person. Her hand clenches the key tightly, imprinting it into her palm slightly when a noise begins to fill the air. Hotaru pauses slightly, when the chara begin complaining.

"Ugh! It's that horrible noise again."

"It's coming from the top!"

Hotaru turns to her chara, each one covering their ears tightly. Tadase's voice catches her attention as they continue moving up.

"It seems there are three levels to this tower! Ikuto is most likely on the top floor!"

Hotaru nods her head, Amu giving her a thumbs up for encouragement.

"Let's hurry."

Rima begins to lag behind, Nagihiko hurrying to help her up, the two getting caught up in a conversation. Hotaru's ponytail sways behind her as she climbs further, now grateful for her figure skating practice. Climbing these stairs requires a lot of stamina. Hotaru stops as the stairs do, her eyes gazing about.

"The first floor..."

"We finally made it!"

The others soon join her, worry filling her.

"We need to hurry on-"

"...is someone there..?"

Everyone turns their attention to the shadowy figure, said person coming closer and into sight. A young girl stands there, void of emotion, X-eggs floating around her.

"It's a girl..?"

"She's surrounded by X-eggs?"

Yaya gasps, Hotaru's hand coming up to cover her mouth in shock.

"What is she doing here?"

"The violin probably snatched the egg right out of her!"

Before they can ponder any further, the X-eggs begin to dash towards them, everyone readying themselves for a fight.

"Let's transfo-"

"Wait!"

Hotaru turns her head to see an already transformed Rima, already calling an attack. A rope shoots out from her hands, blocking off the eggs as she calls out to everyone.

"Go ahead! I can handle this!"

Amu steps forward, already ready to protest.

"But Rima-"

"This isn't the time to idle around. Go on."

"But-!"

Rima turns her head to Hotaru, smiling softly.

"You have to save Ikuto. Hurry."

Hotaru is in awe, Amu beginning to yell once more when Nagihiko steps in front of her.

"I'll stay behind too. Don't worry."

Nagihiko smiles towards them, Amu blushing slightly.

"Believe in us, alright?"

Hotaru and the others can only stand there for awhile before running on ahead regrettably. She does not to look back as they continue up another flight of stairs. Yaya turns back a bit, wory etched in her features.

"Do you think Rima-tan and Nagi will be okay?"

Tadase turns to her, offering a smile of comfort.

"If it's Fujisaki and Mashiro, I know they'll be fine. We have to do as they say, and believe in them."

Yaya smiles after awhile, nodding her head in agreement. Hotaru can't help but smile to herself, the words bringing comfort to her own heart as well.

_'I need to believe in him...'_

She frowns a bit.

_'Ikuto...'_

She turns another corner, continuing up the stairs.

_'Please believe in me!'_

* * *

A man chuckles atop the tower, his smirk casting down on the ones below.

"It looks like it's started."

It's when his ears note something to him does he turn around, anger already setting into his features.

"What's wrong Ikuto? Don't stop play!"

Ikuto is on his knees, his face pale, sweat dripping down from exhaustion. His violin and bow lay in his hands forgotten, already weary from the unknown transformation. Kazumoi frowns, his hand reaching into his jacket, his fingers retrieving the modified tuning fork.

"Tch! Useless brat!"

He hits it lightly, the noise causing Ikuto's mouth to gape open in pain, though no sound emits. Kazuomi chuckles, Ikuto now struggling to his feet despite his lack of energy.

"Yes, that's right. Stand up. Keep playing the violin, Ikuto!"

Ikuto's eyebrows furrow from pain, his cat ears down as he follows his orders, his body shaking as his hands move on their own.

* * *

Hotaru's body is pushing it's limit, sweat starting to form on her face just as they reach the 2nd floor.

"We finally made it."

She leans over a bit, doing her best to catch her breath when a few startled gasps cause her to look up. Her blood runs cold at the sight, the snarling teeth frightening her greatly.

"W-what is that?"

"A dog!"

"No way!"

The dog seemed dark and ready to attack. Tadase's hands clench tightly.

"What's going on?"

"The X-egg is probably controlling the dog!"

Hotaru grimaces, hating the feeling of knowing that someone else was now a tool of Easter. Tadase steps forward.

"I won't forgive this! Heart Unlo-"

"Hold it!"

A shine forms behind them, Yaya having trasnformed already. She jumps before them, Hotaru blinking in shock as she turns and gives them thumbs up.

"Leave this to me! Believe in me!"

Hotaru feels a blush in embarrassment as Amu and Tadase question her.

"What are you doing?"

"Weird..."

Yaya is shocked, obviously upset by their response.

"Why are you guys acting like that? You were fine when it was Rima!"

Yaya pouts, crossing her arms childishly, her outfit now suiting her.

"Well, Rima is different from you."

"And besides, Nagihiko went with her."

Yaya sighs, Hotaru laughing a bit at the sight.

"You guys are patronizing me, aren't you? I'll show you what I can do!"

Without another word, Yaya yells out an attack, an army of ducks speeings towards the canine who had been watching them argue. All are in shock though as the dog counters Yaya's attack, Amu and Tadase stepping in front of her.

"Character transform!"

"My heart unlock!"

Amulet Heart and Platinum Royal appear, both ready to attack.

"Yaya, we'll deal witht his!"

"Stay back!"

Hotaru steps forward to join them when another eerie melody fill her ears, her heart clenching at the sound. Her head shoots to look up, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"That sound..."

* * *

"So the guardians cleared the first floor."

He chuckles.

"So what do you think of this trap? It's just the same as filling the violin with X-energy."

He smirks as he turns his attention to Ikuto, said person's eyes void of any feeling.

"What's wrong Ikuto? Why are you wavering? It's only been a few hours and already you look like you're about to die. Are you really the son of a genuis violinist?"

He walks over to the railing guarding the edge of the top floor, his voice menacing.

"Because you're young, you think it's okay to be weak?"

He only laughs as he mocks the teenager, the town shining below with life, no clue to the battle that's going on.

* * *

_'What am I doing? Why am I just standing here?'_

Before her, Amu begins to attack the dog, the sound of the violin ringing through the air, the sadness emanating from it loud and alluring. Hotaru gasps as the dog begins to head toward Amu when Tadase steps in, shielding her immediately.

"Amu-chan! Tadase-kun!"

Amu turns to her as they block another attack.

"Hotaru-chan! Hurry ahead!"

"But-!"

Amu only smiles, Hotaru's heart warming at the sight.

"Ikuto needs you."

Hotaru is quiet, her egg shaking around her neck as a breeze passes through. Hotaru's face fills with determination as she nods her head, using Kia to help sneak by and rush up the stairs. It's as she turns another corner does a blur speed past her, a small familiar voice whispering in her ear.

"Take care of Ikuto."

Hotaru turns her head but sees nothing, though she knows full well who it was. Continuing on, she pushes harder, knowing that she had people's support behind her.

"I will save you Ikuto-kun. Wait for me!"

_'Everyone...thank you so much for your courage. I won't let it go to waste!'_

* * *

From a dark room, the person behind everything watches, his voice dark and dripping with plotting.

"I will finally get my hands on the embryo."

* * *

**Author's Note: Don't worry, I'm working on the next one as well! I'm too pumped not to write it! Look forward to the action! X3**


	37. Aries's Song

**Author's Note: I told you I would supply another chapter! I'm excited about this one~  
**

** Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

**Chapter 36: Aries's Song**

Hotaru reaches the top, her shoulder heaving with each intake of air. It had taken awhile, but she had finally reached the top. Her eyes are quick to land one the one she was searching for, already dashing forward a bit more.

"Ikuto!"

Kazuomi notes her solitude, a chuckle escaping past his lips.

"I've been expecting you, though I thought you would've brought more with you. No matter..."

He snaps his fingers.

"Let's play."

Yoru floats to Hotaru's side, his voice quick to point out their goal.

"Hotaru-chan! That's it! The violin! If you take it away-"

Before he can finish, the violin begins to morph, Hotaru gasping as it trasnforms into the scythe that Hotaru had seen Ikuto with before. She takes a step back warily just as Ikuto raises the blade.

"Dark Night Storm!"

Hotaru's eyes widen as she quickly transforms with Lily, her outfit now that of a trapeze artist, a ribbon floating around her arms.

"Ikuto! Stop this, please!"

He swings at her once more, Kia and Yoru floating back. Hotaru raises a flower defense only to be knocked back, her body raking with pain. She lifts herself up a bit, fear in her eyes.

"Ikuto, please! Using your powers like this is wrong! Don't let him control you!"

He towers over her, his scythe raised high, gleaming in the moonlight.

"Ikuto-kun..."

Ikuto's ears twitch, his movements seeming to halt at her words. Hotaru feels her heart swell up.

"Ikuto-kun, please-"

She's cut off though as the tuning fork is sounded once more, Kazuomi yelling at Ikuto.

"Finish her off!"

Ikuto's body shakes, an inner turmoil going on within before her begins to swing the blade down. Hotaru raises her arms to defend herself when she hears a noise sound out. Opening her eyes, she notices Amu standing before her.

"Amu-chan..."

Amu does her best to push him back only to get knocked back herself, her rod flying out of her hands. Hotaru begins to rush to her side, Ikuto's speed surpassing her own.

"Ikuto, no!"

Another clang fills the air, Tadase guarding Amu with diligence. Amu is in awe at the sight, Tadase seeming so knightly now.

"Ikuto-onii-san..."

Tadase's eyebrows furrow with guilt, hating how Ikuto wasn't himself.

"You're weak now, please realize this...I know you're being controlled."

He takes a step forward, his glare growing in intensity.

"But if you hurt her...then we must fight!"

As they shout this, Tadase's scepter shifts, a sword now pressed against Ikuto's scythe. Hotaru was in shock at the sight, Amu blushing greatly as Tadase pushes Ikuto back, sword armed and ready. The two begin to duel, the sounds of their blades clashing  
resonating through the air. Amu reaches Hotaru's side, her eyes filled with guilt.

"Why must they fight? They don't hate each other, yet..."

Amu's chara, Miki appears, her voice filling the air.

"That's probably because they're boys."

Hotaru and Amu turn to the artist, both in shock.

"From the start, Ikuto didn't want to invovle his most important person."

Hotaru's heart clenches tightly.

"And Tadase wanted to protect his most important person."

Amu's eyes widen.

"They don't want to fight, but there's a time when they must."

_'Oh...'_

Hotaru's hands come up to her face, not wanting to believe that this was happening.

_'Am I really so useless?'_

Kazuomi's laughter fills the air at the sight.

"Hahahahaha! Isn't that what men do? If Ikuto continues to fight, the dark energy will increase, and then..."

He chuckles to himself, his mind already planning out the next move.

"...then Hinamori Amu will purify the eggs and the embryo will show itself."

Hotarus' eyes fill with tears. Her hands clench the Dumpty key tightly, holding it to herself.

"Why does it have to be this way?"

"Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru's eyes open, a light emitting from the key, images filling her head. A small Ikuto is crying to himself, Hotaru's arms wanting to reach out and hold him. Hotaru's heart seems lighter, her head turning to Amu, the lock glowing as well.

"Maybe there's way..."

"...that only we can fight."

She smiles lightly, placing the key into the lock and turning it, a loud click seeming to cut through the air. The light begins to glow brighter, Kazuomi shielding himsef. By the time Hotaru manages to open her eyes, she finds herself floating in a bubble. She  
looks around only to find herself alone.

"W-what is this?"

Kia and Lily's voice fill her head at her question.

"We're floating in the light's current. The energy from the key and lock is flooding out."

"W-where is everyone else?"

"They're probably floating in a different part of the current."

Hotaru nods her head when her eyes note something.

_'The image from before...It's Ikuto...'_

She leans against the edge of the bubble as the scene plays out before her. A young Ikuto walks up to a small Utau, said girl swinging her feet back and forth. Utau seems to light up at the sight of him only to remember why they were where they were.

"They said we can't sleep with mother tonight. Her health is getting worse, so we can't see her either."

_'What's happening...?_'

Utau begins to wail, yelling how she wanted to see her mother and how she was upset about their father disappearing. A few passing patients and nurses stare at the scene, Ikuto going to his knee and taking Utau's hand.

"Utau, don't cry. Kids like us don't cry. If we cry, people will sympathize us."

Utau seems a bit confused at the word, but takes Ikuto's words to heart. Hotaru squints as another light fills the air, the scene changing to one with Tadase now.

"Pity them, Tadase..."

Hotaru notes how Ikuto and Utau's face become stoic at the words, her hand clutching her chest.

"Are these...Ikuto's memories...?"

Another scene appears, this one of Tsukasa and Ikuto sitting together. Tsukasa's voice is the first to speak.

"You're not pitiful at all."

Ikuto seems shocked by his words, Tsukasa smiling brightly.

"Look at it this way. Everyone, at some time in their lives, has to leave their parents and become independent. It could happen early in life, or later."

The words resonate with Hotaru, her eyes wide in shock. A few more scenes play out, one of Ikuto finding his egg for the first time and another of him and Tsukasa.

"Hey! Ikuto!"

He hands Ikuto a violin case, the size a bit big for the boy.

"Your father's violin..."

He hands it to him, Ikuto struggling to hold it up a bit.

"I got it from your mother in the hospital. I'm sure your father would have wanted you to have it."

At his words, Ikuto glowers, pouting slightly.

"I don't care what my father wants. He made mother and Utau unhappy..."

Tsukasa ponders his words before patting his head.

"What is 'Happiness'? What is 'Unhappiness'?"

Ikuto averts his eyes.

"I don't know..."

Another scene shift, Hotaru's eyes widening at this one. Ikuto is playing his violin for Utau and Tadase, a smile on his face as they enjoy themselves when another voice fills the air. He turns his head, noticing a bit of lavender hair behind a bush. He smiles, beginning to walk over slowly, Utau and Tadase following quietly behind. It's as he finishes does the girl finish as well, his heart seeming to swell at the sound.

_'So beautiful...'_

A young Hotaru turns in shock at the sound of clapping, obviously flustered from having been found out.

"Oh miss, that was so pwetty!"

The young girl looks about, nervous and unsure of what to say when her gaze turns to Ikuto once more.

"Yes, your voice is very beautiful."

Both young and present Hotaru blush at his words, Hotaru smiling to herself.

"Even then he had a way with words."

Lily nods her head at Kia's words. Hotaru watches as her younger self smiles, Ikuto's blush now apparent to her as she watches the memory.

_'H-He blushed...?'_

The young Tadase grabs Hotaru's hand, eager to have her join their group.

"Would you swing us another swong?"

Utau grabs her other hand.

"Pwease?"

Hotaru smiles warmly as the younger two have Ikuto convince her to sing with them once more. She watches them go on like this when hears Ikuto's thoughts.

_'Is this happiness?'_

Another shift, now of Tsukasa and Ikuto in another place.

"This must've been when Ikuto disappeared from Tadase and Utau."

She laughs at the scene, Ikuto scolding Tsukasa for losing his money and wallet. As the scene unfolds, Ikuto plays to earn them money, people praising his sound until they finally have enough to live on for awhile. Hotaru sweat drops, sighing.

"What kind of man is Tsukasa-san?"

An old woman approaches Ikuto in another image, handing him a portrait of herself with her father in a shop of sorts. She listens as Tsukasa explains how his father helped the shop make money and make people happy. She can't help but tear up a bit as  
the young Ikuto begins to cry.

"Father's violin...doesn't make people unhappy..."

Tsukasa wraps an arm around his shoulders, comforting him.

"You were always holding onto your pain and tears all alone. It's alright now..."

"Because you're free!"

Ikuto looks up in shock, a newborn Yoru floating before him. It seems before anything can be said though, a pair of men in suits and shades appear, their presence ominous.

"We finally found you Ikuto Tsukiyomi."

She watches as Tsukasa explains his reasoning for taking Ikuto, the men revealing that his mother had remarried and Ikuto's shock at the turn of events.

"No..."

But just as quickly as it was shown, does it vanish, the light now blinding as it begins to swirl.

"What's going on?"

"The energy is overflowing!"

Images begin to appear one after another from Ikuto's past. Scenes of his mother depressed, of his new father, of Utau's departure from their home...She winces as scenes begin to appear from Ikuto's missions.

"All other eggs are useless! Get me the embryo!"

"Someone's egg...was broken...Someone was hurt and he accepted it..."

_'Ikuto's pain...'_

Hotaru's eyes widen in realization.

"No...Ikuto's would-be self is different. The thing that Ikuto really wants..."

As she says this, images of when they met in high school appears and she notices something she didn't before. Each scene where he's with her, when her back is turned, he's smiling. More images appear, shock overcoming her as she sees herself helping  
take heart eggs.

"Is that what I was...?"

She shakes her head, pain overwhelming her.

"That's not my song!"

Hotaru suddenly feels herself falling before seeing an all too familiar scene. Amu is watching them carefully as Ikuto plays his violin, Hotaru singing alongside him.

"That's right...My song..."

A tear falls down her cheek, the egg around her neck bouncing wildly.

"I want him to hear my song still..."

At her words, the egg opens, Hotaru's body enveloped in a warm light.

* * *

Amu is looking about herself, her transformation now that of Amulet Diamond. She had found her own answer for wanting to shine, a smile on her face at the realization. Ikuto charges towards her, an attack directed towards her. She quickly raises a shield as Tadase notices an orb of light.

"What is...?"

Just as Amu deflects the attack, a voice fills the air, everyone coming to a halt. Kazuomi looks around, his gaze set in a glare.

"Where is that coming from?"

The ball of light disperses, Hotaru standing there quietly, her hair cascading down her back in two loose pigtails, both held by a red orb. Her ears are replaced with fins, a swimsuit like top appearing, clear fabric appearing underneath. On her waist is a skirt held on the left side, sandals tied up mid-calf. The glow around her fades after awhile, her eyes slowly opening.

_'Unlock my heart?'_

Tadase's eyes widen in shock, Amu's head turning as well, the sight taking her breath away.

"Hotaru...chan...?"

Ikuto is still, his mind a bit confused as Kazuomi growls in anger. He taps the tuning fork once more, his voice heeding a command.

"Attack her!"

Ikuto begins to dash forward, his blade raised high. Hotaru watches calmly though, her eyes soft before closing them and beginning to sing a song. The melody fills the air, the tune one of hope and love. Ikuto halts, the light emanating from Hotaru strong yet  
warm.

_'All I've ever wanted was for my voice...my song...to be heard...'_

She smiles to herself, her voice yelling an attack.

"Ocean Melody!"

A veil of water seems to surround them, Hotaru's body moving on it's own.

_'I want my feelings to reach you...'_

Her arms stretch out only to engulf a startled Ikuto close to herself.

_'...Ikuto-kun.'_

Hotaru can't help the tears streaming from her eyes, Ikuto's own widened in shock at the warm body close to his.

"Ikuto-kun...Ikuto..."

She hides her face in the crook of his neck.

"Your pain, your pride...everything...I'll hold it close. Even if you have to fight...I understand..."

**[I see. That is the meaning of your song.]**

Kazuomi is watching from afar, his arm up to shield his eyes somewhat.

"What's going on? The light swallowed them up! What the hell is this radiance?"

Amu smiles as the light seems to wrap around her as well, all four of her chara glowing.

_'Character Transform! Amulet Fortune!'_

As the light fades, Amu is now in the gown of a bride, an amulet in her hair with all the colors of her chara.

"What's happening? A transformation with 4 Charas...?"

She gazes up, smiling happily as Ikuto and Hotaru finally appear. Ikuto is in awe at his new attire, his clothes that of a pirate despite the cat ears.

"What? What is this...?"

Yoru's voice sounds in his head, happiness filling each word.

**[Ikutooo! You're finally back to your old self!]**

"Then this is a transformation with you, but..."

'I see. There was a different egg inside myself. It feels somewhat...'

"...nostalgic, doesn't it?"

It's then Ikuto's attention turns to the form in his arms, tears spilling down Hotaru's cheeks. One hand behind her back, another under her knees, Hotaru's own are wrapped around his neck.

"Welcome back, Ikuto-kun."

As she says this, Ikuto recalls the memory that Hotaru had watched earlier, the song triggering his memory. Before he can say anything, Kazuomi yells from below, his anger growing with each second.

"What's this? Ikuto! Can't you hear me?"

He grimaces, throwing down the tuning fork in anger.

"Shit!"

**[Amu-chan, we can't hold this transformation long. We need to hurry!]**

Amu nods her head in agreement, Ikuto and Hotaru finally reaching the ground. Hotaru gasps as she settles herself down.

"The X-eggs! They're combining together?"

Just as she says, the X-eggs begin to swirve and form into a giant image, before forming into an X-character. A loud sound fills the air, Hotaru wincing at the vibrations running through the tower.

"What a sad sound...!"

_'It's crying...?'_

Tadase steps forward, his lips moving with his explanation.

"That overwhelming sadness. It feeds into the energy one by one. How much will it be...?"

As he finishes his sentence, tears begin to stream from Hotaru's eyes, her hands coming up to touch her cheeks in shock.

"What's happening...? Why am I...?"

Amu and Tadase are shocked as well, tears streaming from their eyes as well.

"That sound is opening up our locked sad memories..."

Kazuomi has a hand clutched to his chest, his eyebrows furrowed in pain.

"What's this pain in my chest..? Why did I remember that at a time like this?"

Amu is in shock as Hotaru reaches her side.

"Amu-chan!"

"It's swallowing everyone's sadness. We have to stop it!"

The giant X-character begins to swipe at them, Tadase and Ikuto quick to swoop in. Both girls blush at the contact, Ikuto's smirk in place as usual.

"Yo Siren."

"I-Ikuto...!"

He stops, staring at her patiently. Hotaru feels a bit of anger rise.

"Is this really a time for this? And why are you carrying me?"

"You didn't mind earlier."

Hotaru blushes deeply.

"That's because I was too happy to have you back to your normal self. I was so glad to know that my song reached you."

Ikuto's smile turns soft, Hotaru's heart racing even more. He gently places her down, Hotaru now missing his touch.

"Ah...That's why."

He leans closer towards her, confidence dripping from his being.

"This time. I'll be the one to protect you."

Hotaru blinks in shock, her heart poudning in her chest. Amu and Tadase rush towards them, Tadase blocking an attack with his saber.

"You're late Tadase."

"Ikuto-nii-san! That giant chara's body is made up of X-eggs. First we cut it and stop it from moving."

Ikuto turns his head to Tadase, his smirk intact.

"We feel the same way, don't we?"

Tadase returns the expression.

"Right!"

Both of the guys turn to Hotaru and Amu, Hotaru glancing at Amu as well.

"Amu-chan! We'll support you!"

"You two do what you gotta do!"

Hotaru speaks softly, placing a gentle hand on Amu's shoulder.

"We're right behind you."

Amu nods her head, preparing herself for an attack. Hotaru begins to sing another song, the chara yelling louder at the sound as it stops moving.

_'Even if I avert my eyes, even if I pretend it's not there, the world will always be full of conflict and sadness...but...'_

Amu raises her hand into a heart symbol above her lock, as Ikuto and Tadase prepare for a final attack.

'...we can face our sadness!'

"Open heart! Full bloom!"

As she yells out her attack, a giant light fills the sky, taking the form of a heart as the eggs begin to return to their original selves, the darkness fading away from each one. Hotaru smiles brightly at the light around them, the chara even smiling before fading away.

"The eggs are returning to normal."

"Look!"

Hotaru raises her head as the others do, one egg standing out above the rest.

"The embryo..!"

Before anyone can move though, a hand shoots out, an evil grin appearing on the owner's face.

"Ha ha ha ha! I finally have it!"

Hotaru gasps.

"Director Hoshina!"

* * *

**Author's Note: That one took longer than expected, but I do love the final result~ Oh! For those who asked, yes I'm fine. Luckily when I was robbed, I wasn't home, though it was disheartening since my laptop had written and drawn work that I had yet to finish (A few chapters of this included.) ^^;**

**I will do my best to get the next chapter out soon. Until then~  
**


	38. A Picture Book Ending

**Author's Note: I am on a roll! I wanted to get this one out real quick so I can start working on the next one. I can't believe that I'm already close to the ending of this one! Just a heads up, I do plan-...*suddenly remembers future chapters were on laptop* Son of a bi-! *BLEEEEEEEEPP*  
**

***a few minutes later*  
**

**Alright, so I do plan on doing an after story, one for Ikuto and one for Kairi...kind of. XD If you guys are interested, let me know and I'll start on them again~  
**

**Rating: T**

_Summary: Like any popular boy, Ikuto has many girls that chase him on a daily basis besides his sister, so there's only one way, in Ikuto's mind, to stop them. Have a fake girlfriend of course!_

* * *

__**Chapter 37: A Picture Book Ending  
**

Hotaru and the others watch in horror as the Director laughs maniacally, his hand around the glowing Embryo.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! I did it! Now all I have to do is deliver it to Gozen!"

He begins to run off, the others following when he presses a hidden button.

"Ah! A hidden elevator!"

"In a place like this?"

The doors close before they can reach him, his disappearance seeming to take their transformations along with him as their clothes return to normal. They inspect themselves over quickly only for Tadase's voice to point out their objective.

"We can't let the Embryo fall into Easter's hands!"

They nod their head in unison, beginning to descend the stairs, the other guardians joining them along the way, along with Utau.

_'The magical egg that holds everyone's dreams...'_

Hotaru grimaces at the thought.

_'What will happen if it falls into Easter's hands?'_

They finally reach the end of the stairs, finding the entrance to the elevator only to notice it still shut. Nagihiko and Tadase pull at the doors a bit before realizing something.

"It seems to go further down."

"But this is the basement!"

Utau speaks up.

"I remember this. This is a direct route to Easter's Executive Division."

Ikuto frowns.

"Ikuto, could it be...?"

"Yeah. It probably leads to _that_ room."

Hotaru turns her gaze to him, confusion in her pupils.

"That room?"

Before she can say anything further, he holds up a card of sorts, everyone in shock as he explains.

"You're gonna have to use this elevator to chase after him. This keycard should be able to do it."

"Whaaatt?"

Hotaru raises an eyebrow in question.

"Where did you get that?"

"I stole my father's spare one, but it's only for emergencies, so it can only be used once."

He turns to the group, obviously about to give a crucial detail. Hotaru's own expression is one of shock at his casualness.

"The elevator can only hold 4 people. It's dangerous. They might catch us as soon as we get on."

He closes his eyes, as if ending the case.

"I know what it's like inside, so I'll go."

He turns to Utau, placing a brotherly hand on her head.

"Utau. I'm not going to avert my eyes any longer. I'll get my freedom with my own hands."

Utau tears up at his words, Hotaru smiling at the scene.

"Thank you for everything up until now."

Utau nods her head.

"Yeah."

The guardians circle up, Yaya bright as ever.

"Tadase should be the representitive for the guardians."

"Yeah."

"I agree."

Tadase in shock as he looks at each of them in turn, a smile forming on his lips.

"Everyone...thank you."

Amu steps forward, her hand around her Humpty lock.

"I'll go as well."

It was obvious she was needed since she had the 4 legendary chara. Before anyone can mention about the 4th spot, Hotaru suddenly feels two hands push her gently towards the group, her body bumping lightly into Ikuto's. She turns her head to see  
Utau's smile, encouragement radiating from her.

"Go."

Hotaru is silent before nodding her head gratefully. Turning to ther others, she raises a fist.

"Let's go."

Everyone cheers them off, wishing them luck as their doors close. Everyone is silent as the humming of the elevator moving surrounds them. Amu is lost in her thoughts.

_'Everyone's dreams...I won't let Easter have them!'_

Hotaru turns to the others, Aries's egg resting on her chest once more.

"Ikuto..."

He stares at her. She sweatdrops.

"Ikuto-kun, what kind of person is Gozen?"

Amu nods her head.

"Is he a man or a woman?"

"A man, probably."

"Probably?"

Tadase turns to Ikuto, a bit of fear settling in.

"Have you not met Gozen directly before?"

Ikuto shakes his head.

"I have, but he's always behind a curtain. I don't know what his voice sounds like either. He never lets anyone see his face."

Amu is dumb-founded.

"Not even his cronies? That's weird."

Ikuto only shrugs. Amu begins to worry when her chara cheer her on, everyone else's following suit. Just as they finish, the doors swing open to reveal an office of sorts. Ikuto's voice is the first to speak up.

"This is Gozen's Chamber."

Tadase rushes forward, grabbing the chair behind the desk only to find a tape recorder.

"He's not here?"

The Chara begin to play with the microphone, their voices changing to a deeper one.

"It's a voice changing device."

Hotaru is somewhat thrown off by the device, Ikuto reaching her side.

"So he used this when he spoke to us."

"Why would he hide his real voice."

"This is only gets stranger..."

Tadase turns to them.

"This room looks like a dead end, but where did the Director go then?"

The Chara yell up, pulling aside a curtain on the wall.

"There's a secret passage!"

Hotaru's hands clutch together, a certain dreaded feeling filling her.

"What is going on?"

They rush forward, pulling open the door at the end only to come to a room filled with cases of sorts, each one holding a different gem or rock.

"These are stones..?"

Hotaru looks around in awe, noting how each one had a plate below it with it's name.

"There are so many..."

Hotaru steps forward as her eyes note someone at the end of the room, her hands clenching into fists.

"Its' Gozen!"

His laughter fills the air, said man standing next to an extravagent chair.

"Yes, but you're too late! The Embryo is already in Gozen's hands!"

Everyone gasps as a new voice fills the air.

"So this...is the Embryo...?"

Hotaru's eyes widen, her mind recalling an old memory.

_'That voice...!'_

The chair turns only to reveal the child Hotaru had seen just a few nights ago. Everyone's reaction is one of shock at the child sitting before them.

_'Gozen...is a child...?'_

Ikuto's anger is reaching it's limit.

"Director, what is the meaning of this?"

The boy speaks.

"I'm Hikaru. I'm the head of Easter, also known as 'Gozen'."

As he speaks, his disinterest with the glowing egg shows as he speaks.

"So this is the Embryo. It's smaller than I imagined."

Ran, Miki, and Suu speak up, all having panic in their voice.

"The Embryo! It's losing it's radiance!"

Hikaru notices, the egg now a dull color.

"What? It's not shining anymore. How boring."

And with that, he throws it to the ground. Amu begins to reach forward for it as it hits the ground just for cages to surround each of the group. Hotaru's hands grip the bars, her fear growing with each passing second.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"You stupid girl. Did you really think we'd let you get close so easily?"

Ran, Suu, and Lily sit the egg up, a crack apparent on the shell. Hotaru turns her attention to Hikaru, her voice filled with rage.

"Why? Why did you want the Embryo?"

Hikaru merely turns to her, his hand stretching around the room.

"This room is filled with valuable jewels. If I have the Embryo, my collection would be complete."

He turns his gaze to the dimmed Embryo.

"But this is just a rock. It no longer has any value, so I don't want it anymore."

Tadase is shocked beyond words, Amu's voice coming out in a small whisper.

"Jewels...? Collection...?"

"That's the only reacon why? That's your reason for pulling out eggs from so many people...?"

Hikaru merely shrugs.

"I don't need incompetency and worthless things. Director Hoshina, you're also incompetent. I have no use for you anymore either."

Kazuomi's eyes widen with shock at Hikaru's words.

"But...what..."

Amu begins to yell, her eyes on the ceiling above. Everyone follows her line of sight only to see a giant black egg hovering above them.

"That's the egg that was controlling Ikuto!"

At this, Ikuto opens his violin case, inspecting his violin to see that it was back to normal.

"So that egg came out of the violin..."

Hotaru turns to him.

"That wasn't your egg?"

Kazuomi chuckles at this.

"Nope, that egg was produced by Easter, but it's also..."

"I want that."

Kazuomi turns his attention to Hikaru who is pointing upwards towards the dark energy seeming to ooze into the room.

"Eh?"

"I want that instead of the Embryo."

Amu is baffled, her tone stuttering slightly.

"Wai, what? This kid! What is he proposing this time?"

Kazuomi seems to hesitate only for a second before bowing his head.

"As you wish."

He begins to reach towards it warily, his fingers barely grazing it when the dark energy begins to pour out. Everyone is pushed back, Hotaru and the others pressed against the bars of their cage.

"It's the dark egg's shock waves!"

"Crap! At this rate..!"

Glass begins to shatter around them, everyone screaming. Kazuomi dives to wrap his arms around Hikaru until it settles down. As soon as it calms, the boy pushes himself away.

"Let me go!"

He then frantically begins to pick up the dropped stones, holding them close to himself.

"My rocks...they're all..."

Everyone is confused by his actions, unsure of what is going on now.

"What is he...?"

"Why are they so special to him?"

Everyone is watching quietly when Amu's voice fills the air, her anger obvious.

"Hey! Even if that man is not that great, he's been working really hard for you. He just saved your life!"

Hikaru seems to shrink into himself, his voice shaking slight.

"I just wanted the Embryo...not the worthless results."

Kazuomi seems hurt by the boys words, Hotaru feeling sympathy for the older man. Tadase yells up.

"The energy! It's multiplying! We can't do anything while we're locked up like this!"

Yoru fills with panic.

"Ikutoooo!"

"That egg...That's right...that..."

He then picks up his violin, his bow drawing against the string. Hotaru turns her head as the melody fills her ears, a smile appearing on her face. She closes her eyes, her mouth beginning to follow alongside him, both in harmony. Amu and Tadase smile at  
them, obviously enjoying the sound.

"What a gentle melody..."

"The black egg is being held back."

Hikaru's voice seems silent against the song, his words cutting though.

"The black egg stopped too. It turned into another useless rock. I don't need either of them..."

Amu watches in silence, Ikuto and Hotaru continuing on, both with a smile on their face.

"That's not true. The Embryo isn't a jewel, it's a magical egg the grants wishes. It's the egg of everyone's dreams..."

Tadase and Amu gasp in shock, not having expected to see Tsukasa here.

"Tsukasa-san!"

He only smiles.

"Today, I came to get the missing page of the picture book."

Ran and Suu then hold up a book, the title "Your Heart's Egg.".

"Do you remember it?"

Hikaru seems to space out as he recalls a memory, Tsukasa stepping closer towards him.

"Do you remember?"

Hikaru frowns.

"I don't know anything about that stupid book, there's no page to return."

"But there is."

He kneels down, pressing a gentle finger to Hikaru's chest, his smile growing a bit.

"But at this point, it's hopeless, since your heart is empty."

At this, Ikuto and Hotaru stop, not having expected to hear that either.

"Then let me tell...Hikaru's story."

Tsukasa begins to speak, explaining how Ikuto and Utau's mother was the only daughter of the Hoshina family, how she chose Aruto as her husband. He describes Aruto as a man who preferred to play music then manage a business.

"There was one person who looked at Aruto with the utmost envy and jealously, and that was your Kazuomi."

He turns to him as he says this, Kazuomi in shock that attention was turned to him. Kazuomi doesn't even bother to hide how he thought Aruto would be ruin the company and how he felt that his son was more suited for the job.

"But just when I thought it was within my grasp..."

He then tells how his son and daughter-in-law were lost in an accident, Hotaru's hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"I was only left with Hikaru..."

Tadase speaks up.

"Then that kid is Director Hoshina's grandchild...?"

"Not long after the head of Easter died and Aruto disappeared..."

Tsukasa nods his head.

"You then began to train Hikaru as a leader, in order to make hima successor, but there was a rival for that position."

Tsukasa frowns, Hotaru not having thought that he could produce such face.

"Ikuto, who was quickly growing up as the rightful successor, was dragged out. At that moment, you thought 'I'll use him as puppet.' Instead of ensuring the safety of your grandchild, you pressured Souko into remarrying you. Isn't that right?"

Hotaru could feel the anger seeping from Tsukasa, the words he had relayed leaving a nasty taste in her mouth.

_'So Ikuto was a pawn from the beginning...?'_

Her eyes stray to him, said person in shock at the story behind Kazuomi's motivation. Kazuomi places an arm around Hikaru's shoulders.

"So what? I raised Hikaru as Gozen to protect Easter. That is my mission!"

Before he can continue further, Hikaru slaps his arm away.

"Let go of me!"

Amu gasps as Hikaru's gaze darkens towards his grandfather.

"You incompetent man who couldn't even grant my wish. I have no use for worthless human beings!"

Everyone is watching in silence, Hotaru in shock at the display before her.

_'These two are the only one's they have left, and yet...'_

"He's brought this upon himself. He's taught Hikaru to stand above everyone else. He's always treated him like Gozen instead of a son and this is the result of that."

Kazuomi turns to them, obviously angered by their words.

"Shut up! I'm fine with things the way they are! You wouldn't understand!"

Hotaru lowers her head, her mind only on the two before.

_'He couldn't touch his only grandchild...and he couldn't depend on on his only grandfather...'_

"That's..."

A tear streams down Hotaru's cheek.

"...so lonely..."

As she says this, she recalls a few memories from her past. A barren living room, the backs of her parents as they left her alone time and time again. The pain she would feel as she ran after them and them leaving her behind. She soon recalls her brother's cheerful face though and the faces of her brother, Kairi and the others.

_'If I hadn't had them...would I be in the same situation...?'_

"Lonely?"

Hotaru's head snaps up at the question.

"That's an unneccessary feeling."

Before Hotaru can respond, Amu kneels down a bit, a soft smile on her face.

"What Tsukasa said was true. There is no egg in your heart...It's always been empty. Hikaru, you've said that he was a useless, worthless thing, but...I haven't forgotten that happy face you made when we ate Taiyaki together."

Hotaru, Tadase and Ikuto look at each other, not realizing that Amu and Hikaru had met before.

"It certainly turned into your 'heart's nutrition.' It wasn't useless at all."

She tilts her head a bit.

"In truth, there isn't anything worthless in one's life. You were born because you were going to be important to someone. It's because you were born, that you surely have a meaning. Without a doubt, someone is looking after you."

Hikaru frowns.

"If that's true, how come nobody's told me?"

"If that's true..."

Amu holds her hand out through the bar, her smile inviting.

"I'll teach you."

Hikaru seems confused as to what to do before suddenly running towards Kazuomi. He reaches for a device in his hand.

"What are you...! Don't touch that!"

A button clicks, the cages lifting from them, all sighing relief.

"We're free."

Hikaru looks around at the stones on the ground, something on his mind.

"While looking for something like that, I felt that there were gaps inside of me. That's why I collect rocks...to fill the gaps...but no matter how many I collected, the gaps wouldn't fill up...They still aren't."

Amu gently takes Hikaru's hand, the others stepping closer.

"I see. You wanted to fill up your heart with shiny things like these rocks."

Hotaru steps forward as well, placing a gentle hand on Amu's shoulder.

"We've been smiling a lot lately. Our family and friends..."

Hotaru blushes.

"The person I love..."

Amu smiles at Hotaru's bashful state, said girl glancing at Ikuto slightly.

"Everyone. I love the things that are important to me"

Amu pulls him close, holding his hand gently.

"No matter how many jewels you collect, your heart will never be filled up, but...feelings. Feelings are pretty vaulable things."

Hotaru nods her head.

"Those things can't be taken away. When you find them, you can't touch them and you can't put them in your hands."

A rock drops from Hikaru's hand.

"Emotions...glittering and beautiful. The thing...that I really wanted..."

Hikaru's eyes seem to tear up, guilt washing over him.

"I really do...remember the rest of the book..."

He hangs his head.

"The book lied. My egg never came back to me. I was born empty, I haven't had anything."

"That's not true!"

The chara begin to surround Hikaru, all with smiles on their faces.

"Us Shugo Chara are always your friends!"

"Yeah, you have an egg, you just haven't noticed it yet!"

"If you keep believing, it will come back to you."

At their words, Hotaru picks up the Embryo, gently placing it in Hikaru's hands.

"It's always been sparkling because it's been looking for you."

Hikaru touches it gently.

"This is my..."

Without notice, the egg begins to shine once more, everyone in shock as it disappears within Hikaru's body.

"That was..."

"...Hikaru's heart egg?"

As soon as the light vanishes, tears begin to stream from the boy's eyes as he begins to cry. Hotaru looks down, her mind noting how the X-chara they had faced earlier had cried in a similar fashion.

"You were lonely, weren't you?"

Kazuomi watches in shock for awhile, memories flooding before his eyes. His eyes clench with regret as he recalls the past.

"I thought I was making him happy. Was I wrong...?"

Tsukasa walks over to him, speaking firmly.

"You wouldn't let him cry...because of that, his heart was chased out of his self. He doesn't know what sad or lonely things are..."

His glare intensifies.

"And naturally, he doesn't know what it is to be loved or have fun."

Kazuomi's hands clench tightly.

"What should I...?"

Tsukasa's gaze only softens, chuckling a bit.

"It's very easy."

Kazuomi only nods his head as he walks over to Hikaru's side, placing a gentle hand on his head.

"Hikaru...I'm so sorry..."

He engulfs the boy into a hug, Hikaru's cries dying down a bit.

"Please forgive your grandfather."

Everyone smiles at the heart warming scene, Hotaru clapping her hands together. Tadase shakes his head.

"So, it wasn't the Embryo after all..."

Amu's smile only widens as she turns to him.

"No, but it was a happy ending!"

Everyone nods their head in agreement, Ikuto's eyes straying to Hotaru. Hotaru turns to him happily, her smile wide and warm. He returns the expression, a faint, light blush on his cheeks.

* * *

**Author's Note: Don't worry guys, this isn't the last chapter yet! :D Though it most likely will be the next one! TwT**

**Makes me a little sentimental guys. I hope you've enjoyed it so far~  
**


End file.
